The Chill of Steel and Shadow, The Beginnings End
by Eternity My Inheritance
Summary: Then another. A single shot, an unmistakable echo calling through the night. Hushed, cutting. One shot, dark and infernal. Followed by silence. A voice. Deep, chilling, and hushed as if dimmed. This is my inheritance, my estate: eternity, infinity, the whole universe beneath my sword. This is what I rule: forever and a blade. Eternity is very close. Can you feel yourself slipping?
1. Ch 1 Heiress and a Dance with Death

The Chill of Steel and Shadow, The Beginnings End

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Prologue

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"The quieter you are the more you hear and see and understand and even feel. Quiet fills yourself up. There's wisdom to be found in listening."  
— Unknown source

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"Very well my darling, I will tell you of that tale once again." A feminine voice, soothing and silky glided through the chill moonlit air. Listening to such a voice could lull one to sleep and peace. Thus she began to speak her tale. The tale of Time and Withering Shadows, The tale of The Beginnings End and the Chill of Steel. Knowledge from the beginning darkness came from a codex so ancient and worn that the title had faded to nothing. Perhaps this was the truth of time? In this book of sorrow, at least that is what is referred to as it stated many things through the most prevalent was this.

"Long ago three beings were dredged up in that primordial dark. One, born of nothingness, named thee, Infinity, it only wished for solitude and the realm of the quiet and thus sought out the dimensional gap. But the other, the older of the two, one who had no beginning nor end, named Eternity wished for something far greater yet humble. What it wished for...was balance...and in so...upon taking up the mantle of thou which takes all life. It was named...Death."

"At least to those that exist they know of the curse that is death. This decay is rooted in the universe and even in souls. Eternity became the force known as time and ruled with his curse of death. To do this he created a monolith of his power in which later would be referred to End-World, the first and eventual last realm and the new center of the darkness. In light of the creation of the tower the gray mist formed and swirled around The Dark Tower, it's black iron flesh writhed with a mild silver glow. The Void began to constantly expand. With the dimension beginning to calm Eternity attempted to find his only potential bondmate Infinity. He searched in the black for time unknown nor knowable. He eventually found that he could not stray too far from the mild gray light that stood out like a beacon in the black. The tower stood like a blade tearing through the dark somehow brighter than the darkness even though it was of the deepest of blacks. The dragon's soul mate was gone into the place later known as the Dimensional Gap. The dragon was struck with an all-consuming sorrow and he bled the first dragon tear."

"A dragon tear?" The other younger feminine voice asked.

"Yes, its a tear made of blood and soul. It would only happen if the dragon has lost itself. Now no more interrupting! I myself have some much-needed sleep I must catch up on.

"Sorry, sorry Oka-san continue."

"Where were we? Ah yes. The beast forced his soul from his body all the while crying crimson tears that streaked down it's blackish, silvering body. The body fell. The scales filled with crimson, the soul gray and withering, swirling with similar black smoke and mist. The soul joined the stream of mist and curled up around the tower, before spreading across existence."

"And then it was gone. The body was curled around the tower. The body then began to mold into a silver wall around the tower. The blood spilled out around the body and formed a flower. The roses filled with shards of dragon scales sharp enough to tear through the reality. As all stilled in the gray only the silver walls and the infinitely tall tower swirling in what would later make of souls, this rift energy spiraled up the tower. Thus the Dark Tower was formed and the turbulent blackness became a soothing abyss with time and decay ruling as the great balancer of the black.

The book frequently talks about the beginning originally having no light. Only an empty, infinite black. Now a small gray sliver shone like a beacon in the dark abyss. Like a lone waning ember. Then there was the other entity that existed in this blackness. Not having a name of its own it is commonly referred to as God, The Almighty, or the Maker by its creations. It was the sum of all things: good and evil, light and dark, physical and mystical, joy and sadness. And, within its eternal dream-state, it considered itself—all of its myriad facets. Seeking a state of total purity and perfection, The Maker cast evil from itself this created the Devils and Demons of Hell, but with the new plains of balance created by Eternity, the Maker then created the Angels of Heaven.

"The Makers dissonance began to fade and for a time he blessed his various creations with realms of their own. Of course, this could only happen for a time as this existence has been created on the aspect of balance through decay. These discordant parts formed into the antithesis of the Maker, a being simply called The End; the first Primeval. Though separate beings, The Maker and The End were bound within the black. There they warred against each other in an unending clash of light and shadow for ages uncounted, neither gaining the upper hand. At last, their energies spent after countless millennia of battle, they delivered their final blows. The energies unleashed by their impossible fury ignited an explosion of light and matter so vast and terrible that it shattered that current reality."

"New forms of life came from the Shards, Splinters, and Slivers left. The original Shards were the strongest of all of the fragments and bonded or formed into various beings that became the Aspects. All of the original Shards all started with the same amount of strength and relevance. It was not random which Vessel got which Shard. Each represented a different powerful concept. Some of the first creations where Cultivation, Ambition, Devotion, Dominion, Endowment, Honor, Preservation, Ruin, Chaos, Gaia, Tartarus, and lastly, Eros. With His blessings, they bore even more gods and goddesses, carved out ascendant realms of their own, their own throne world's. Eventually, they built a cosmos of universes and unfettered realms. Respectively, the different universe contains different worlds, such as the universe that consisted of the Human world among its realms. The Last Realm is the name of this particular universe. Fitting, as it is the last realm that was created. The Human World, or Earth as the Humans call it, shares a close link with two other separate worlds. Heaven, and Hell. All of the light began to smother the Void."

"The Maker looked upon all of the light and happiness and he felt accomplished, however apart of him sneered inwardly. All would be reduced to naught, just like that terrible darkness of before. He stole shards from beings and brought them to the darkest part of space and bound them there. Now soulless these newly Arisen beings would eternally fight the dark. They would be his Heralds of the end times and protect his creations to come. Finally feeling the Void call, he closed his eyes and finally The Maker had his rest."

"As aeons past the Makers children began to establish order. The Angiris Council being the head of peace. It is comprised of the seven Archaspects who hold dominion over the High Realms. They determine the laws by which all angels, demons, and gods must abide. Each of them embodies a pure aspect of creation: valor, justice, hope, fate, and wisdom. They are mediators, created in time immemorial by The Maker to keep the balance. The Angiris Council placed their great quarters atop the pillar of reality and time, The Dark Tower. It is said that the Tower is all that is left of the original period of the Great Dark."

They were always wrong, the interpreters of the dead God, The Almighty, and Maker. The seal and The four horsemen of the apocalypse. There were no actual horsemen and the seal had already been broken from the very beginning of time. The horsemen were just the signs of the awakening of the Arisen back into this reality, a warning against what was to come. Then the Desolations came. There was something that corrupted all of them. Something in that terrible abyss of the beginning something else had existed. In the deep dark below, beyond the space where time wakens and yawns, beyond the shadows cast by the great leviathan of Eternity, the Primevals stirred. Within cities where geometry and madness shared the same meaning, constructed from thought, from unnatural impulse, the Primevals dream dark machines into being. Only souls keep these engines roaring, heard screaming across distant stars. The only aura can power these machines and as of now, only souls can fill their void, sublime in its vast emptiness. In their own throne world created by a Shard which they stole, Braize or damnation was created. They wanted to take the throne of Eternity, The Dark Tower and claim the omnipotent power and omniscient knowledge that came about with the power of time. The appearance of the Arisen or Heralds as they are otherwise known is said to announce the coming of a Desolation. The Desolations were cataclysmic events involving the Heralds and the Void. They were massive, realm-wide wars. After each Desolation, civilizations lay in ruins. Between Desolations, the Heralds are trapped in Braize, or Damnation, being tortured by the demons of the Void. Heralds that die during a Desolation are sent back to Braize; those that survive are supposed to go back voluntarily. The Heralds being there, as established by the Oathpact, prevents the Void from returning to reality. After several centuries of Desolations, during Aharietiam, also known as the Last Desolation, The Quiet One, the Ivory Herald chose to hold a passage by a northern waterway by himself, a near impossible task. While he managed to defend it successfully, he was eventually killed in the fighting because of his wounds and returned to Damnation. However, The man was the only Herald to die in this Desolation. All of the other surviving Heralds, wearied by millennia of torture, chose to abandon the Oathpact, leaving only The Quiet One bound to it. They believed that as long as one Herald remained bound to the Oathpact, this could end the cycle of Desolations. The man alone remained bound to the Oathpact and returned to Damnation to be tortured for an eternity of eternities.

They used the prospect of the Arisen holding such power for themselves whispering to the gods. Thus The Eternal Conflict began. Each side suffered unavoidable casualties. And those that cared for peace were deteriorating at an extreme pace, taken over by the whispers of the Primevals in the Void. The Tower's defenders were slowly deteriorating in number. That was until the quiet one returned. His return was supposed to bring victory to the side of the defenders, but their horror he only sought balance. Wisdom, the Quiet Arisen had somehow fallen and great wispy skeletal darkness, the mist from Braize spread around him. What could have caused an Arisen to fall, something higher than even the angels? He fought now on his own side, he fought with mist that froze reality with wraiths within that swarmed the battlefield. With no allegiance who could stop Wisdom, who has knowledge of all combat. The reason for his departure soon became known terrible black flame coalesced around him. The same flames of a dragon, the creatures they so desperately slaughtered to create weapons.

That day the Herald ended the conflict. Most that survive refuse to speak of what happened that day, but they remember and they fear. The Aspects were somehow all killed during the collapse of the Dark Tower, it is thought to be the Ivory Herald's fault. A ceasefire was then made and to this day the war has been in a stalemate. Mist now seeps out in the night covering all of the realms at night.

"The End."

"Mouuu. Okaa-san! Why do you always end it this way? Why not add more to the story? You haven't changed it since when was even a kid. And I always wondered why the Ivory man would do such a thing to himself"

"The Ivory Herald, The Herald of Wisdom was most devout in his duties of keeping the dark at bay, but in a manner so serious that most never called him out on his almost fanatical obsession with seeking answers to all. The youngest of the Archaspects, Hope was the only one ever succeeded in pulling him from his studies often attempting to teach him to enjoy their existence. Still, Wisdom would read, try to learn more. None new for what causes other than his duty as a Herald, not even his apparent beloved younger sister could glean that information from the Quiet One. In truth, Wisdom had already found out about the lie of the so-called universe and was desperately searching for a way to 'save' it. Not for himself, but for the only kindness that was ever shown to him, by Hope. And I haven't changed it at all Rias, because the full story was never written. And with that, she ruffled her hair and turned to leave. "Remember Rias the official peace summit may be held, after which we can attempt to deal with this marriage situation."

She nodded forlornly and rolled over to sleep.

Sighing quietly to herself Venelana closed the door behind her and looked out the window to Hell's fake moon and pondered on the man that saved her, the Pale Raven, and what had happened to the one known as Death.

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Ch. 1 Heiress and a Dance With Death

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The people faded away, the arches, that vaulted roof vanished. She raised her seared eyes to the fathomless glare and saw the black stars hanging in the heavens: and the frozen winds and mist from the Survivor of Braize chilling her face.

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The pink eyes cracked open. Those pink eyes soon closed as a slight and somehow dainty yawn escaped luscious red lips. Stretching in the process caused the bed sheets to fall away revealing a nude and overly buxom form of the heiress of Gremory.

Scratching her crimson locks as she made her morning stroll to the shower looking less like an heiress and more like a tired teen. In the process of her stroll, she noticed that it was raining outside.

As she entered the bathroom she took note of the pink staining her eyes, having used to be the color of her father's line with the awakening of the Bael's power of destruction she had become for lack of better term more devil-like. More powerful and even more seductive in her figure. However, her power of destruction was particularly uncontrollable for a Bael due to its strength, but her family did not care and she was still named heir apparent.

Feeling the warm water flow off her body was one of the many comforts that she genuinely appreciated, her thoughts suddenly went inward and she thought of the dream that she had of her childhood. She let out a sigh as she ran her hands through the crimson locks that fell to her ankles. Darting a pink eye to the right she saw the pleasantly smiling face of her queen. She knew it was a facade. "Yes Akeno, I am currently bathing."

"Yes, I see that my king..." her eyes suddenly opened and were a tad grim. "The duke called and said there was another stray." Rias' eyes hardened. "Give me a moment to clean."

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It was a dark, gloomy morning at the town of Kuoh. The wind was breezing at a gentle pace, such a pace that would warm the hearts of those that take morning strolls. As always the mist faded through the air heavy and thick, the raising of the sun not yet banishing the wispy grays. The ominous fog had settled in all of the realms including Earth. The mist would coil and twirl in the late evening and then would fade away at dawn. Though the rain was lightly falling and most stayed indoors early in the morning even if the fog had become common over the centuries. Some would say that this particular breeze of air at such a time makes this morning a peaceful one and indeed it seemed to be, the wind lightly blowing the broiling mist in the arcs and the light rain causing the fog to be lower to the ground. But for the group of people that were heading towards an abandoned building would say otherwise about this morning. For this morning, it was an unpleasant time to be outdoors, as this particular group of people was hunting down a monster that dwells in the abandoned building they were approaching. This monster is what they call: a Stray Devil. They are Devils who were once servants to the master who reincarnated him or her until he or she decided that they had enough and either left their master or killed them in cold blood. Their lust for freedom and their selfish desires were the main cause of those Devils going stray.

And this group of Devils, who wore clothing that was fit for a high school however, the females' uniforms were rather risque. They were here to make sure that this creature is taken care of. The leader of the group was named Rias Gremory. She is a gorgeous woman with long, crimson-red hair that reached down to her thighs with a single hair strand sticking out from the top. She had lovely blue-pink eyes, paired with her heart-shaped rear and massive knockers she was well sought after for her overly endowed figure. This woman was leading her group, who consisted of another woman whose beauty and bust size somehow surpassed her rival and her detainer Rias'. She had violet eyes, and long raven-black hair tied in a ponytail with a few strands that arched down her back past a butt that was a rival to her bust and then reached her legs. A young woman with blue eyes and blonde hair that fell down to her back, which she sometimes styles in a ponytail, a quiet girl with hazel eyes and short, white hair, who looked apprehensive in her movements, and a young man with short, spiky brown hair with two, short locks behind his head and matching colored eyes, who was acting nervous on this hunt that Rias filled him in on

As the group finally made it to the abandoned house, Rias turns her head towards the brown-haired man and got his attention. "Ise, I want you to watch closely as my servants do battle." The man who Rias calls "Ise", whose real name is Issei Hyoudou, nods his head in affirmative. "Oh, okay." Rias then sets her sights on the blonde and white-haired girls. "Yumi-san, Koneko-san, you two approach the door first." The two girls nod in response and walk slowly towards the entrance of the abandoned house. As they did so, the blonde, Yumi, grabbed the hilt of her sword with narrowed eyes at the door, and the white-haired loli, Koneko, cracked her knuckles while having a neutral expression. Yumi reached for the handle of the door until… Schick! "KYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Everyone lets out a gasp when they heard what sounds like the carving of flesh, followed by an agonizing female scream. "Buchou," Yumi turns her head towards Rias with slightly wide eyes. "That scream!" Rias nods at her words.

"Um… Buchou? What's going on?" Rias turns her head towards Issei and gives her an assuring stare. "Get behind us Ise.

Akeno, I trust that you will help take care of my servants." "Yes, Rias. Whether I like it or not I am also your servant." The ponytail girl, Akeno, puts on a serious face as she conjures yellow thunder from her hands, surprising the brown haired boy. After getting a nod from Rias, Koneko kicks down the door and the Devils went inside, with Issei following from behind as Rias commanded him. As they got in, their eyes widen when they see a female creature in front of them. 'There she is,' Rias says in her thoughts. 'It's the Stray Devil. But… What happened to her?

"NOOOOHHH! Such a waste of flesh~!" BONK! After serving on the Stray Devils naked top half, Issei was immediately silenced by Koneko with a punch to his head. "Quiet, perv! She was stray and she has been done in." She warns quietly with a stern expression. "You'll have us noticed by whatever killed the monster." Issei nods in response while rubbing the bump on his head with anime-tears. Rias rolls her eyes at his behavior before scanning her eyes around in search for the what had who killed the Stray Devil. As her blue-green eyes continued shifting left and right, they zipped right back to the Stray body and slightly widened to see that her chest was torn asunder and not only leaked blood but a blue-gray mist like that of an extinguished flame.

A chittering sounds like bones scratching stone and suddenly a demonic like figure with a tail that curls out of its upper back loomed in front of them moving at a speed that the devils and the hybrid could barely follow.

 **TCHTANG!**

The body of whatever the demon figure was, was essentially torn into two halves the upper half being rent with a massive smoldering hole. The body flew and collided into the wall to it's right. The circle of the wound flickering lightly with flames and the body turning to ash.

The sound was a deafening clang and slightly disoriented those that heard it. "An exorcist?" Rias' thoughts were running at the speed light essentially hopping from one negative to the next. The group scanned the darkness of the warehouse hoping to find the sight of their savior.

"There!" Akeno called out. Rias turned her gaze at the shadowy mist that revolved around a gray-white light. Moments later the devil's where blinded momentarily multiple flashes followed by more cracks of thunder. As their eyes adjusted to the light of the flashes they took note of the figure there. He was a young looking man that could be described as somber by both clothes and features. After dodging a particular swing of bone-like claws dripping with shadow his hood fell away. A handsome face with sharp features, almost unnaturally pale skin. Onyx-black near chin length messy hair that fell around his eyes and nose. He held an emotionless gaze far worse than Koneko's and under his eyes, bags were slightly visible showing that he lacked sleep. He wore a large black long coat that fell to his ankles. Under the coat, he wore a dark gray collared button down shirt. A large, old, tattered, and long gray-black hooded cloak wrapped around his neck and falling down just before the ground. The cloak was made of and consisted of ribbons. The strips of dark gray cloth were sewn together at the shoulders and chest. It rippled a coiled around him as he moved they noticed that the mist did the same coiling and undulating around him.

After five more seconds of searching, her eyes, as well as everyone else's shift towards the dagger-like blades lodged into the wall. Absolute work of art that could only be of supernatural origin. It leaked a slight mist from the pale blade. They soon realized that the blade was ghastly in appearance because the blade was of some sort of crystal. While his appearance surprised them, since the Devils, minus Issei thought the figure was an Exorcist, the halfling was having other thoughts.

"Is that Dredgen-san?"

The bladeslinger let out a quiet grunt as he unsheathes another blade it seemingly flying from the sheath into his hand and then it was tossed spiraling towards one of the demons beheading it. All the while dodging another of the demons flaming claws and blocking another with his blade.

"I think I know who that is, Rias we need to help him!." Akeno spoke worried fraught with fear.

Rias interjects. "Akeno it matters naught that you may know him, with the fact that this man is dealing with supernatural means that he is surely an exorcist, he will attempt to kill all of his here."

"Either way, we better help and-" Before she could continue any further, Akeno notices that the bladeslinger was still dodging twirling through the air being pulled this way and that. He did not appear to be fazed at the demons wailing and their laughter.

"Buchou! We need to hurry and help him, we can't just leave him to these demons can we?" But it was too late. The demons swarmed attempted to quench their rage with him as kindling. Only for the bladeslinger to fall towards the ground. Mist trailing behind him and appearing as a cloud several feet away the ground crackling with frost. The bladeslinger didn't have a problem with dodging their attacks as he noted in his mind on how sluggish they were. The Devils were in bewilderment at the man's speed. He was constantly moving left and right in great lunges to avoid the demon's claws and flames. Suddenly seeing an opportunity, he leaped up into the air floating there momentarily pushed up by some unknown force, his cloak spread around him. Holding his hands out as he fell the two blades lodged into the wall started to spin end or end towards him at alarming speeds. As he landed he gripped the blades and used the momentum and some other force began tearing the first charging group of Thrall into pieces of gore and blood. The vortex of the mist around his feet seemed to follow his sword swings and throws. He pulled out two more blades and the air was like a cyclone of pearlescent blades and mist twirling and singing through the air. The sounds of the bone beasts screams were only matched by the explosive retort of the blades striking home.

The Devils watching the battle could not believe what was happening. The blades twirled through the air and thrummed in an almost rhythmic manner. As the man kept killing, blood or that was what they assumed was blood, and gore painted the ground and walls. The massive demons let out blood-curdling cries of pain as they fell on their backs with a loud thud, which caused the ground to shake, forcing the Devils watching to try and keep balance. After growling in pain and rage, the demons that survived were silenced one at a time by the blades. Sheathing the ones in his hands and pulling the two lodged into the wall to him. Akeno called out running to him than a beast of azure tore through this dimension. Azure fire alighting bone and a sky of ghastly gray and red with a sun of crimson blazing behind it causing the harsh red light to bleed through. Foul mist bleeds through the tear adding to the mist already in the room dimming it further. The image of hate was slowly creeping into her mind. She saw the hate and the starlight and almost went mad, but as the tear closed and Rias was returned back to reality. After the Akeno shouted she suddenly stood stock still. Rias was about to yell out to her when several things happened all at once. The gray-cloaked figure was suddenly behind Akeno pulling her into his chest.

A pitch black spiraling vortex made of emerald with trailing shrouds of shadowy arcs suddenly exploded outward completely entrenching the bone demon in the shadow.

And what were these odd bone demon fell to the ground essentially torn in half by the great arc of shadows and blades? Standing tall with his hand dripping smoke and liquid shadows like the beasts with a twisted weapon that screamed to her senses something akin to what she felt when dealing with an angel or exorcist. His cloak of ribbons and long coat twisting in the air, while all lay still and silent. Culled by the terrible echo that was caused by his weapon. Akeno who still was in his arms shifted and inspected him owlishly and stayed quiet. She went as if to speak, but he suddenly pulled away and scanned her for harm. She watched as Akeno's hair fell around her holding the ruined ribbon. The gun that had fired burned away at her left shoulder burning the clothing away, but not causing harm to her. The man then seemingly heard something and shot once more the terrible echo ringing out as it lit the dark in ghastly green. He had fired into the darkness without looking. A more humanoid cry of pain and a slight thud. It was a woman.

A rather perverted one by the clothing that she wore and her rather lewd body. Seeing the state she's in, the Gunslinger slowly approaches the fallen angel. As the fallen lifts her head up to look at him, her eyes widen in fear as she, along with the rest of the Devils finally got a perfect look at his face. The mans face held a very cold emotionless expression.

His gray-white eyes were narrowed at the creature as he made his way towards the fallen. His round had torn her left wing off causing tears from the fallen and a flutter of feathers. and probably would render it useless and unable to grow if the smoldering flame that caused the wound was anything to go by.

The Devils, especially the fallen, notice that his eyes were carrying not anger, but curiosity he stood over the now kneeling and trembling fallen.

'Raynare is here? Yes, she can finally what she deserves!' Issei thought happy about what the man did to her. He and the other devils where suddenly flummoxed. He's not killing her…" Issei utters, anger visible in his voice…

Rias thought on the situation and was quite surprised and could not reply. 'Was he really an exorcist' While the redhead watched on, she heard a distinct sound of giggling and shifted her eyes to her halfling ward. The former's eyes slightly widen, but she then rolled them when she saw that Akeno had a sultry gaze towards the man. Rias understood why she was looking at the scene like this, knowing how her friend was into S&M and she also knew of her slight crush on the older man, and therefore, Akeno found the unknown supernatural entities strength and cold nature to be a beautiful sight to see. Akeno was elated to see the fear instilled on the fallen's face causing her to lick her lips and rub her thighs together at the sight. Rias then let out a sigh as her giggles continued.


	2. Ch 2 The War Wizards Nightmare

Ch. 2 The War Wizards Nightmare

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And each time you are killed chasing your childish ideal, each time you die the rot will grow. Let's see how long this realm lasts, shall we? - The man in black, Chaos

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 _A dark cloaked wraith that had a face with no features yet had a crimson undulating sigil in front of its face. This was the Taken King, Eclipse. It's clawed hand held a burning black and white flame up to the chest of a scarred and chiseled chest of a man held up by chains that tore through his arms and hands. Blood eerily dripped from newly made wounds that had a pure white misty flame that began undulating at the base, sealing and healing the wounds._ _**{(Your Cold pale flesh was to be a feast for maggots. But they will have to wait, I'm not finished with you, not yet. We will leave nothing green left, only cold. My frost covering the world, your blade tearing down the rest. Soon that last light will go out. Now go back to their realm my pestilence, you will become what you were meant to be. My new Mistborn King)}**_ _Slashing the man with the claws, from shoulder to chest with the clawed and burning hands the man had a mark scarred into his body, mist bled from the wounds pooling with the mist upon the ground. A great a dark shadow swarmed and writhed along the surface, seemingly ablaze with flame. The shadow eventually mottled creating a scarred brand of black scales. The mist pooled and eddied around the chained form. The man's eyes suddenly opened blazing azure and slit like that of dragons. He glared at the Eclipse with ire. Thought he swirling cloaked Taken did not flinch or react in any way he was mildly surprised at the entity that the man was a vessel to. He removes the chains from his own body and created a tear forcefully through Braize. All the while he stared at the Taken._ _ **{(Feel free to take him he has served his purpose for now.)}**_ _He then awoke from Braize._

 _He awoke with mist covering the ground, he was standing and clothed in his old clothing, unmarred as always upon the exit of Braize. The Mist coiled around him as he walked through the battlefield turned graveyard. This was the realm called by all as the underworld, specifically it was the area close to the area owned by the Devils. This area was known as Hell by the rest of the supernatural. He remembered the blazing sun, crimson in a gunmetal sky and his own seared eyes the only thing to witness such horror, mist coiling into the distance all while snow fell in the red light. When he made it through the eternal winter that was Braize there was no preamble, no premonition, it was just gone: All faded to silence. Before he realized it tears began to pour from his eyes. Why was he crying? What was this pain in his chest that was so unbearable? This pain of exiting? He held his hands out in front of them and could feel the flesh being rent from his body, it burning as white-hot chains and hooks tore through his body. Long white scars crisscrossed all the way up to his arms. They throbbed more than the others. His hands shakily were lowered and he saw the new war taking place in front of him. He had accomplished his goal, did he not? What was it, this pain? He knew the answer. The answer he ignored for so long. Always deciding to turn his back on the truth in front of him. His eyes widened as he understood and accepted it. "Why? This is the answer which I had been led to? After everything, I have done to… Save them? To achieve what I shouldn't have been able to achieve in so long, this is the truth? Everything I fought for- Everything I lived- No, Everything I died for over and over again… was truly for nothing. "That every day I spend seeking to save them, is a lie?" And yet somewhere within himself, something spoke. A memory perhaps? 'You are a dead thing made by a dead power in the shape of the dead. All you will ever do is kill. You do not belong here. This is a place of life. Leave from here. Braize is what you deserve.' He grits his teeth feeling that of overwhelming despair and anger. He, who was betrayed by everything. Even his own ideals saw the path his road had taken him and he had found out the truth of life is always inexorably tied with that of death. He blinded by confusion saw the winged beings and saw that as only a threat and on instinct kill all of them and he did._

" _It was far too easy. Death comes far too easy." Blades with legends and stories greater than even their wielders lay strewn around the white rock and sand smoldering in white mist and the tips of the blades white and wispy. Clearly hot and burning as if shot from some great weapon. The only tombstones for their wielders whose bodies lay broken and mangled around the onyx-clad man. Blood arced in great swathes and pooled and drained down the thirsty white fathomless dunes. A single tree stood in front of the figure surrounded by mist where the bodies lay decaying and leaking soul from wounds. An odd white light nestled within the spiraling ebony trunk humming softly. The entire ground around the tree in a circle still simmered with shadows within the mist. His cloak was interesting. It was made in order to obscure his figure and so prevent them from being seen. It is a hooded garment made from a lightweight material and consisted of ribbon like strips of dark gray cloth sewn together at the shoulders and chest. The ribbons wafted softly in the wind, its hood pulled up. The bodies were of the supernatural marked by the wings of various design protruding from their backs. His blade was stained darker by the blood of those that he has killed and an undulating black mist hung off the massive blade. It leaked like liquid fire and rose as if smoke. The blade was massive around seven feet in length. The figure flicked his blade to remove the blood, but like always the now stained blade had consumed the vitality of its a victim. Regardless he smoothly sheathed the darker than black blade with a small click sounding out as hilt made contact with the sheath on his belt, instantly the black mist stopped falling off of the blade as the black was swallowed by the silver of the sheath. After this swift motion, he gazed at his hands and still could feel the pain and see the demon-like Taken tearing into his flesh. His hands began to tremor again as his scars throbbed. He clenched his hands into a fist to stop the noticeable sign of weakness._

 _His eyes widened following a whisper of wind. Eerily large white ravens lay around the resting figure. The mist seemed to flow off of them and his own fog rose around the outcropping that the fight had taken place on mingling with that of the wraiths. It swirled around him and eddied there. The raised ground where the man and tree sat upon was like a stain on this reality. The white sand was marred by what looks like obsidian shards tearing upwards towards the sky. As if the land was from somewhere else. He was broken, he searched for his name and yet could not remember. He had forgotten his own name his father gave him. "Who am I? I . . . I am. . . an Arisen. An Arisen of the Almighty. The War Wizard, I was in Braize." His eyes widened "The Desolation has come. Oh, God . . . it has come. And I have failed." The man seemingly collapsed to his feet, resting his arm on one raised leg he sat there breathing deeply against the small tree, inhaling the smoke and chill of the realm that he fought in and remembering a part of him seemingly still in another realm. All the while the ambient sound of the occasional boom of thunder and magic in the distance._

 _His mistwraiths larger and far more deadly than most natural creatures lay about him on the lone tree, the bodies, and rock outcropping. Unbeknownst to the tired man two much larger creatures flew above the resting figure, they were ravens and clearly of supernatural origin. The Ravens still did not cry out and stayed silent watching the Ravens with idle curiosity before turning to their weary master. A raven alighted on his shoulder and let out a click. He turned to it and stared the beast down before feeling something. In a scramble causing the bird to take flight feeling for his necklace burn from under his cloak, he reached for it like a starved man grasping for food. As he pulled it out he noticed the slight wispy smoke rising from around two feathers tied there. A third item adorned the necklace, it is a perfectly carved obsidian fragment. The soulstone was created by Auriel as a final parting gift when he left for the last desolation. It glowed inwardly with a gray-blue luminescence that signified souls. The hooded figure looked to the sky remembering. Two Ravens almost double the size of his familiars. Each of these ravens he knew from even the earliest memories of his childhood. His watchers, his oldest friends. One of these watchers had the title of, Huginn or Thought, had feathers as black as the night that glinted with silver. The other with the title of, Muninn or Memory, had feathers of silver-white that faded to black. He let out a whistle and the ravens dove. As they neared him they slowed and then burst into a flurry of their feathers. What replaced their forms was that of two beautiful women who once were simple maids to some death goddess, but ascended to that of phantasmal entities. Huginn was originally known as Restia, currently, her milky white skin was covered only by about four necklaces wrought with rune inscribed beads and a single feather from her sister so as to always know where the other was. Restia had black hair that fell around her ample rear and bright silver eyes. The necklaces did very little if did nothing to cover her breasts, only the upper part of her massive globes were covered. Her big nipples and wide areola essentially did not have anything in the way of the man's line of sight and them, being completely visible. As for her lower half, Restia had nothing but black heels that would be fit a sorceress and an ornate silver black-belt-panty hybrid. Her sister Muninn was once known as Est and was the nigh carbon copy of her sister. Same pale skin and voluptuous figure. Est had longer hair that reached down to her ankles and the color was of silver-white. Her eyes were the color of dusk and seemingly colder than her sisters, lacking emotion. Her beads, heels, and panty-belt-hybrid were white with obsidian instead of black with silver. Her necklace also having a feather of her sister and resting on her massive orbs._

 _Each of the women clutched the man who was still dazed from his awakening. Once again he awoke just this time it was with the sign of War and Conquest arising. The last time he awoke it was with the sign of Pestilence fading to Death. He still had his kin then, a flashback of a man pushing him away from an attack as he was awakening once more and then getting torn in two by a monster drenched in shadow and azure fire seeped through his mental landscape._

 _The man was still lost within himself. So soon after waking he had to kill, had to remember the past, feel the present, and know the future. He remembered the weapons and their story within his landscape and he began to cry each one firmly planted into his subconscious forever, the blades of those of his kin lay around him like accusing tombstones…_

 _The man was remembering the last transition into Damnation. From death to the wispy grays of his blade cairn, to the turbulent white of the blizzard Void was haunting. All the man heard was the wail and then almost comforting mists of his blade cairn blew away and he saw the truth in his ideal that he had entrusted his soul to. He stood in snow reached up around his ankles trying to swallow his strength. He was alone and he would have to bastion himself against the soon coming of Braize and their Taken Kings. They would later call him foolish, he just hoped that they would not have to all die with his sacrifice…_

 _...More regret seeped through as he trudged through the snow that sapped the heat from his skin. Snow like biting needles on his face, arms, legs, and cutting to his very soul. He knew and he wished once again that he did not know. But he did know. He knew that the things you put into your head are there forever. That you forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget. The doubt was now one with him, he would not forget that he doubted himself and the oathpact. Doubt in his fellow Arisen. He had thought that he was ready that he was strong enough, but he was walking down sorrows road, he should have known that the sorrow would drag him down…_

 _...His thoughts. They were quiet because the world around him was not. And yet his damned legs kept pushing forward, trudging through this Niflheim just to push distance on the howling Taken. Each step full of bitter hatred at the universe. Each step declaring he would not go into that good night. He turned a blade as dark as night burning in a black fire which faded to white howling around it..._

 _...He collapsed there in the snow, bodies of Taken lay around him staining the ground in their blue and black blood. He could hear the chittering of the dark incarnate and could already feel the ghost touch of the pain to come. Between Desolations, the Arisen always returned to Braize. At first, the Heralds hid from and fought the Taken. Inevitably, they would be caught and tortured. By the nature of their bond, the Arisen were able to share their pain and withstand the torture together until someone broke. Early on, the Arisen were able to withstand torture for hundreds of years between Desolations. The torture slowly broke the Arisen, however, and the gaps were decreasing to less than ten years near the end. The last gap was less than a year long, with the Arisen breaking as soon as the Taken caught and began the torture. The only Taken to never break was him, the onyx man. The torture the Heralds endured between Desolations included hooks digging into their skin, their skin getting seared off, and their souls burning. The torture began over again every day and this time it lasted for millenniums. And he was alone._

 _They were always wrong, the interpreters of the dead God, The Almighty, and Maker. The seal and The four horsemen of the apocalypse The seal had already been broken from the very beginning of time. The Four Horsemen, Heralds, or Arisen were just the signs of the awakening of them back into this reality, a warning against what was to come. Each herald had two aspects. Two people for each aspect. The four Crimson Heralds were that of War. The four Ivory of Conquest. The four Golden ones were that of Famine. And the one Onyx one, the war wizard was Death and Pestilence. The appearance of the Arisen or Heralds as they are otherwise known is said to announce the coming of a Desolation. The Desolations were cataclysmic events involving the Heralds and the Void. They were massive, realm-wide wars. After each Desolation, civilizations lay in ruins. Between Desolations, the Heralds are trapped in Braize, or Damnation, being tortured by the demons of the Void. Heralds that die during a Desolation are sent back to Braize; those that survive are supposed to go back voluntarily. The Heralds being there, as established by the Oathpact, prevents the Void from returning to reality. After several centuries of Desolations, during Aharietiam, also known as the Last Desolation, The war wizard chose to hold a passage by a northern waterway by himself, a near-impossible task even for him. While he managed to defend it successfully, he was eventually killed in the fighting because of his wounds and returned to Damnation. However, The man was the only Herald to die in this Desolation. All of the other surviving Heralds, wearied by millennia of torture, chose to abandon the Oathpact, leaving only the onyx man bound to it. They believed that as long as one Herald remained bound to the Oathpact, this could end the cycle of Desolations. The man alone remained bound to the Oathpact and returned to Damnation to be tortured._

 _As he sat there with two people that he swore to never forget. The girls began crying he finally lost what was left of the original him. His thoughts were dark. A sadness crept from the depths of his being. He had been a hero for so long, but pride had led him down sorrow's road. As he gazed at the crisscrossing white scars his hands nigh unusable something inside him stirred. His mistwraith now around him with mists creeping forward from the hill to cover the land, slowly the shadows' whisper became a voice, a dark call, offering glories enough to make even the brightest Light wander. He knew he was fading, yet he still yearned. On this last day, he sat and watched the crimson sun fall. His final thoughts, pure of mind, if not body, held to a fleeting hope - though they would suffer for the man he would become, the people would remember him as he had been. And so the merciful man hid himself beneath darkness no flesh should touch, and gave up his mortal self to claim a new birthright. Whether this was choice or destiny, is a truth known only to fate. In that cool evening air, as dusk was devoured by night, the nobleman ceased to exist. In his place, another stood. Same meat. Same bone. But so very different. The first and only of his family. The sole forbearer and last descendant of the name Yor. In his first moments as a new being, he looked down at his brother, Conquest's Nightblood, still sheathed. And then drew the blade and the tortured mind and body of a nobleman died and was replaced by the aspect of a cold blade meant to kill. The weapon burst into black flame with crimson howling around the infinitely black. The women around him were startled and looked at this new man as he began to saunter away with pale mistwraiths flocking around him and taking flight. He turned to them and a smile that caused them to shiver in the presence of his power. "So the Desolation came. They seem to be in need of assistance. Shall we go pay that holy bastard a visit?" They were shocked because of the white-gray mark that marred the left side of his head turning his long locks into pale white. They saw the damage that had been done clearly now. Skin pale, eyes blazing Azure, and his hair silvered and white. He changed in Damnation, anyone would when subject to torture like that, but it mattered not the girls were his watchers and would forever serve their master as aids or hopefully in the future as lovers. Together they set off to the distant roar of great beasts._

* * *

 _ **HE DREAMED…**_

* * *

 _A new memory replaces the last. . ._

 _Cold gripped and gnawed at my hands. Climbing, seething upward to my heart. "More borrowed blades of the dead? Huh… " His raspy, whispery, low baritone voice thrummed through the air chilling it with the promise of impending doom. A voice that once heard you would be forced to listen and remember. The black blade that dripped oily black smoke, like that of liquid shadows, almost seemed to hum in contentment as it tore through time, reality, and the minor deity in from of him. The smoke is the Breaths that it has absorbed from its victims, twisted and fouled, leaking back out. The small white sheen of it severing molecules as easily as a heated blade through butter as he shifted the grip in his hand. With a shaky breath feeling the cusp of power and truths, truths about Death, the man spoke feeling himself lose something in the process of gaining this power the chill rising further still through his body._

* * *

 _ **FIRST OF A WORLD…**_

* * *

 _And another. . ._

 _Bodies lay about the ground around him, staining the air with shadows from his soul and blood from his enemies. His once proud silver armor tainted by the blood of great beasts, kings, gods, angels, and demons. His hooded cowl still shadowed his face, his ribbon-like cloak spread out behind him. The Herald reaped those that would go against the Truths and attempted to reach an equilibrium. Not that one seemed to be in sight anyways._

 _Once again he lifted his great onyx bow. The bow had been formed from various magical ores and energies as he was studying transmutation magic and alchemy centuries ago and he had enchanted it with various dragonic runes and even had named his creation. The bow, Wish Ender, was his pride and joy and he had "created" it in this reality after looking deep within the world of before. Not known to Dredgen, but the implications behind the weapon were severe. Weapons of Sorrow were believed to be nothing more than a myth. But even the darkest myths are born of some truths, and whispers of the "Wish Ender" have long filled the living with dread. It is thought to be the bow used by death to steal the life of immortals from within the void._

 _Regardless the Quiet One began surveying the area his eyes alighted and he noticed a flash of white. Forming above his right hand was a tear in reality and a shadowy "arrow" blade appeared. The tip of the "arrow" was alight with his white/blue soul fire. Shadows curled off of it in wisps of smoke. Knocking the massive arrow for the equally massive bow in a display of grace and practiced ease, he took the sight of what had caught his attention and then muttered the first line of his aria._

 _ **First comes destruction for I am the bone of my sword…**_

 _His right eye alighted enough to pierce his veil of shadow that most Arisen donned, though his mistcloak as he deemed it also obscured his body while treading through the mist. His steel iris now glowed with an ethereal, bluish-white flame. This was the Brand of the Endless, a mark of extreme ire that could subjugate those of lesser power just with a glance. The brand allowed him to "see" reality through the veil of the void, allowing him various abilities and powers. One of which was called_ _ **Shift**_ _, A 10-second magic called Compression Strengthening. A Profane Raiment of seal and release or, repression and liberation. An ability which rapidly decelerates the flow of time in the target to some fraction in the first five seconds, and accelerates it several times in the last five seconds. This allowed him while sniping with his bow to gather much-needed information to ensure his arrows always hit their marks up to 20 km away. Another perk of the brand was_ _ **Veil**_ _, which allowed him to douse himself in the Voids Veil thus making him into essentially a shadow. Laws of reality would bend to his thoughts and he could coalesce himself as "mist" Though it has drawbacks. After all the Brand was also a half finished Weapon of Sorrow created in the Damnation while searching in the Deep for truths about reality. The weapon of Sorrow was one of the first created by himself. Pulling the arrow back as far as it could go. He saw thus he could end. He then hesitated to fire._

' _Why did death come so easily to me?' he wondered. It was but a mere moment and then he let loose death once more._

* * *

 _ **WHERE NO ONE…**_

* * *

 _And another. . ._

 _A cloak wearing figure sat with his back to a rock on the shattered plains, the battlefield of the Eternal War. Blades and arrows marred the ground around him. Blood spilling from the wounds in which he rent them from. Rain fell in droves as if the Maker was lamenting the loss of life. More bodies stained the ground of the once proud realm. Mist coiled around the down figure. A beautiful woman stood in front of him. Long inky black tresses spilled out of the white hood, unlike Malthael who liked to use his shroud to cover his face Auriel did not and left her beautiful face for him to see. She wore soft, pure white robes and silver armor that Dredgen created for her centuries ago as a present, do to the fact that her absurdly buxom figure did not fit in most conventional angelic cloth and armor and that Dredgen would not allow another to sully his adopted sister in any way._

 _Her softly glowing red and amber eyes gazed full of sorrow. All while her eyes burned through a forest of forelocks swept to the right of her face that was also framed by her bangs. The eyes were affixed to her down and destroyed adopted elder brother. Her voice whispered out and was taught with confusion and anger. "They told me, they said you would never be back. That you died your true death" Tears began to well, her voice shaking. "Restia and Est said that they found you on the shattered plains, they found your tortured body among bodies. They said they tried to call to you, but you became cold, colder than winter. The look in your eyes terrified them. And here I find you amongst more bodies."Tears streamed down her face in full now. "What, what did they do to you? You were not always this man." She sounded saddened and distraught. As if looking upon a wounded frightened creature._

" _True." A deep raspy baritone, that was still somehow quiet enough to miss within the torrential rain._

" _Then the math says you do not need to remain this man. You can be other."_

" _I am other."_

" _You can be better." She says in exasperation._

" _This is better."_

" _That matter, at best, is subjective."_

" _Then what? Lesser."_

" _Some would say."_

" _But what would you say?" HIs eyes glanced up at her from the shadow of his mistcloak._

 _[silence]_

" _All we've seen and now, here with me, you have no words." he looked down slightly, no more than a tilt of the chin_

" _I have words"._

" _But...?"_

" _But you will not like them."_

" _There is much I do not like."_

" _More now than ever it would seem."_

" _Heh."_

" _I find no laughing matter in your path brother." In further irritation, she raises her voice._

" _Only in the journey."_

" _What brought you here was nobility and your curse."_

" _These shadows and truths are no curse."_

" _Then a means to an end? Hope?"_

" _I would say."_

" _...You are no longer yourself."_

" _I am myself. It's who I was that's gone."_

" _Who you were held all the value."_

" _To the Arisen, my kin? to the Archaspects? To the TAKEN?" Rage splayed across his taut features._

" _No, to me." Tears still streaming and mixing with the rain. He violently looks up and then away from her tear stained face._

" _Sis…No you can't bring me back, not till I am finished."_

" _You do not need these truths brother, my love should be enough." She kneeled down and pushed the hood away from his face, his shroud beginning to fall away. She then gasped. His hair was no longer black. It was now unnatural ivory-white. His eyes where now that of steel rather than the soft and cool brown he previously held. His skin was also marred, most noticeably was his hands which were crisscrossed with scars that stretched up his arms._

" _MALTHAEL! W-w-what happened? What did they do to you? And you are using your body for your magic!?"_

" _It matters not how I get this done, just that it must. Your love, It is nothing but a crutch that will cause us both strife."_

" _B… But... one that has held you up."_

" _Yes it has, but only just. And nothing more."_

" _Nothing more? You were my hero I dragged you away to try and save you from this. Every time you would return I would care for you. Every time you were in Brazie I looked for a way to break the contract. "_

" _And yet people still die. war still exists. The Light still fades. And the Braize is still bleeding through. There needs to be some semblance of order. They broke me in that pit in the stars, your love kept me aloft, but that old me is dead."_

" _As it will ever be, that doesn't mean you give in to…"_

" _To what? Despair? You misunderstand sister, I never gave into despair, nay this is hope for all. If no one else can do this then_ _**I Must! I was alone in Braize for a time I can't even fathom. I died an infinite amount of times. I watched as my soul was torn from my body. DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY. I WOULD AWAKE ONLY TO BARELY REMEMBER MY OWN NAME, YOUR NAME, AND EVEN THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO FORSOOK ME!**_ " _Finally, he raises his voice and she realizes._

" _This is not hope brother, I am the Aspect of Hope I would know."_

" _This. . . This is peace."_

" _You have blood on your hands."_

" _How's that any different than prior?"_

" _Innocent blood."_

" _Matter of perspective."_

" _That's the shadow talking."_

" _And am I not The shadow?" He said looking up to her, finally meeting her eyes._

 _Cold gripped Auriel's heart and wound it in dread. But this also steeled her resolve. "I would hope not"_

" _Ya know... These past centuries, you've made an honorable effort. Tried your best to correct my course. But I don't know if it needs correcting."_

" _And if it does?"_

" _Could be too late."_

" _Could be' is a winding path."_

" _Long way from where I was to where I'm going."_

" _That is my hope. That there is still time."_

" _For?"_

" _Changes. The righting of our path. The cleansing of your shadow and a return to the Light." She then leaned forward and captured Malthael's lips._

 _[silence]_

" _Why are you still trying to save me?" His voice but a sigh in the wind._

 _He sounded so weak and tired. So depleted and weary. It broke her. "It doesn't work that way."_

" _Am I really that special to you?"_

" _You are."_

" _But only as special as any other Arisen."_

" _You all are special."_

" _Seems to contradict the word don't it."_

" _Not in my estimation."_

" _If we're all special, are any of us special?"_

" _Is that what you want? To be special?"_

" _Heh."_

" _You dismiss, but it's a very serious question. Is that all you're after? Is all of the death worth the balance, Seeker of Truth?"_

" _Am I not already more than the rest?" He said gesturing around him to the smoldering pile of ash and the black taint of consumed souls in lazy and pain filled manner._

" _Looking at you here, now. The smoke, ash, and bone at your feet mark you as so much less."_

" _Maybe. And yet here you are."_

" _Meaning?"_

" _You have been at my side every step of the way."_

" _Where else would I be?"_

" _Yet you disagree so thoroughly with my change in perspective."_

" _If only the change was simply one of perspective. Your "evolution" was no choice. This is not you having come to an understanding after carefully considered thought. This is corruption."_

" _The shadows?"_

" _The Void."_

" _Maybe so."_

" _There is no maybe here."_

" _And you think you can save me?"_

" _I rekindled your Light, once." A blush adorning her alabaster features. "It falls first to me to aid in its survival and if need be, it's support."_

 _[silence]_

" _I tire of it, these pleas."_

" _You must try…"_

" _I tire of this."_

" _Malthael…"_

" _That is no longer my name."_

" _I will not speak the other."_

" _Neither shall I have to hear of the name of the me that has died, without a say. All I ever wanted was to hold those I cared dearly in my arms once again. Now I have nearly lost you too, Auriel. I can't stop myself from this path, I am the Bringer of Death and the only Seeker of Truth. These are the only thing I am allowed to be since even before knowing the Truth of Life."_

" _I'm so sorry this has happened to you."_

" _As am I, for what has been done and what I will do." The Herald raised his right hand. His scars started to burn the ethereal blue-white of his soul fire. It soon tapered into the black of his shadows. The shadows drip off and rise up as if smoke. The destroyed missing half of the Void Brand was now alight._

" _Malthael! What are you doing?"_

" _ **First comes destruction**_ … _I'm sorry but I love you too much Auriel to let you follow me into this last battle. Black flames surrounded her form and in a burst, she was sent far away into her chambers in the Dark Tower"_

 _As he walked to the false crimson sun, cold washed over his mind causing his mind to ice and tense. "Malthael." That name spoken by that women was familiar, as was she. The pain caused him to remember. Static filled his conscious, he felt the hooks once more. He acted differently when talking to that women, like some part of his new her. He even called her sis. Clutching his head as the static got even louder all before it suddenly disappeared and his vision darkened. The truth was what he sought prior was it not? But now, now he was uninhibited. He gazed at the blade summoned from the mists. The black blade leaking smoke and mist that rotted reality. An aria of sorts came to him then, like an old distant and ever so pleasant memory he spoke understanding the truth of such words. "This is my inheritance, my estate: eternity, infinity, the whole universe beneath my sword. This is what I rule: forever and a blade. Dredgen turned and looked to the massive shadowy draconic figure. As he turned to the dragon his vision blurred black at the edges and all light around the dragon darkened to a dull monochrome. His world of shadows was bleeding into reality it seemed._

 _ **{[So… you finally figured it out? What you are? What we are?]}**_

" _Yes."_

 _ **[{...]}**_

" _When did you first show yourself?"_

 _ **{["Since the moment of you awakening me in the mists of Braize and on the battlefield you fed me with blade and arrow"]}**_

" _Where were you in Braize, you did not help me then?"_

 _ **{[I wanted you to know how precious life truly was. To know the cost of what we are and what we must do**_ _**for ju...]}**_

" _...justice."_

 _ **{[sigh]}**_

 _ **{[Yes, when did you learn that we were the same]}**_

" _It matters not when, just that I know. Brother definitely stirred it."_

"…"

" _Was Midir your name before or after the Shattering."_

 _ **{[Midir was the name given to me by Infinity, just as I named her Ophis. However I would not ask of you to change your name Malthael, just as you would not seek to disregard our purpose.]}**_

 _I clutched my head as the static came in force."Why must you call me that name? The name of the me who is now long dead."_

 _ **{[Memories are all that matter to us primordials none more prevalent than one's name and who named them. You will have to accept my power. Your soul has been unraveling since you have arisen from Braize. How much longer our powers will hold you together remains to be seen. You must Ascend, you must become a God. An Aspect.]}**_

 _My scars along my arm throbbed with tenacious abandon." You must take something even from me to give. After all, we are Death. All we ever can do is take… So what is the cost?"_

 _ **{[Yes, I am afraid so you will not be the same after you accept me. Nothing ever is. Though what I do to you I do as mercy. You must become the Deicide and end this conflict. Even it means killing your brother Imperious. He is far too corrupted. And as for the cost, you will learn.]}**_

" _Yes I understand what must be done, after all, The Truth of Life was to Embrace Death."_

 _ **{[Do you finally know the words?]}**_

" _Yes"_

 _ **{[Then speak them.]}**_

 _Grim and somber Dredgen spoke._

" _ **Shadowed Dragon God of Death and the Void, I give you my blood and heart and allow you to feast on my rage and emotions. Sever the darkened clouds of heaven to burn away reality and unravel the soul's truth. Let us bathe the world in our sorrowful blinding night. And let them know the truth of existence. Yes, let them know that the truth of life is the embrace of death."**_

The new Lord Death let out a deep sigh. And seemingly not on his own volition he chanted. And with his voice and others rose like the roar of starlight through the abyss.

 **I WHO HAS ARISEN,**

 **("Your only existence shall be that which I weave for you out of sorrow and woe!")**

 **AM THE PROFANED DRAGON WHO HAS BECOME GOD'S BLIGHT AND STOLE HIS PRINCIPLE OF RETRIBUTION**

 **{Wrap thyself in my embrace and succumb to my infinite love. Let your breath drift from you like candle smoke, dreaming deeper and deeper still.}**

 **I SHALL REPRESENT "ETERNITY", FOREVER MOVING FORWARD. ALWAYS SEVERING THE DARKENED CLOUDS OF HEAVEN. ALWAYS TO BURN REALITY ASUNDER.**

 **(There's truth in the edge of Light, and beneath that truth, a deeper truth, hidden from all but a few. That truth is this: monsters need not fear the night. Do not hunt the monster. Become the monster.)**

 **I SHALL BECOME THE BLACK DRAGON OF THE BLINDING NIGHT**

 **{"The daylight, the starlight; all hope is merely waiting for our dark shroud to return this cosmic play to its primordial black."}**

 **AND I SHALL BATHE THE WORLD IN OUR SORROWFUL BLINDING NIGHT, OUR DARK PURGATORY!**

 **{("LET THEM FEEL EVERY LASH, EVERY CURSE, EVERY TOUCH OF MALICE THAT THEY FIRST DEALT TO US!")}**

 _ **{["OBLIVION OF SORROW!"]}**_

 **{["THEY ARE OF RAGE, BRUTAL AND WITHOUT MERCY. YOU MUST BE WORSE. RIP AND TEAR, UNTIL IT IS DONE..."]}**

 _...With the dark structure looming over him still an impossible size and distance away. His mist swarming the battlefield killing indiscriminately. His frost covered the land leaving nothing green left. A shadow not from the tower, but from a great beast loomed over the battlefield. The Dragon God of the Apocalypse coiled around the dark tower as if guarding the tall structure, its eyes glanced at him for several moments. More than it ever seemed to give any other creature in existence. Moments later a streak of light suddenly shot from the desolate world aimed at the Dark Tower. The red dragon growled as it turned. Then, as if on guard, the creature roared – it was not just an ordinary roar, it was a roar filled with power. The power exuding from the creature easily deflected the incoming streak of light, protecting the dark tower in the process. Then, Wisdom heard a bestial roar. The red dragon growled as it turned to see another monster, looking even more terrifying, coming out from the same spot where the streak of light was seen earlier. The new Aspect of Wisdom could not really make out the entire appearance, but he could say for sure that the beast's size was several times bigger than the first creature he encountered. Moreover, he could have sworn that the creature possessed multiple heads, limbs, and other appendages. Suddenly he realized what the abomination was. It was Trihexa. Just as The Maker had remains, so did The End.  
The world around Wisdom then shook as the guardian creature roared and clashed against the beast – the abomination. Despite the difference in size, both of them were equals in terms of strength and power as they kept attempting to overwhelm each other. Then, with the guardian was preoccupied with the abomination, another streak of light crimson in color, flew across the empty dimension, all the way until the light impacted against the dark tower. Strangely enough, when he saw the streak of light, he also heard what sounded to be a blood-curdling scream of pain and the world briefly was aglow with crimson. As soon as he saw the dark tower crumbling apart, everything was static and fuzzy in his eyes and his dragon side was suddenly alight in rage. His family was gone.  
As his vision became blurry and rage overtook him, Malthael could only catch glimpses of several figures and sceneries. The darkening gray sky, though not from normal clouds, an ominous storm was brewing before hell came upon the shattered plains. Two dragons – red and white battling against one another, bringing forth destruction around them. Then a figure of a man draped in black, smiling sickeningly as he held a crimson flame that danced within his hand. crimson undulating Arisen light behind the man in black was smiling torching all around him carving a crimson swath to the Dark Tower, it's guardian preoccupied with subduing the rampaging Trihexa. Crimson demons swarming the battlefield, killing indiscriminately._

 _His eldest brother Valor. He had just killed the only family they ever had known. Wisdom made a choice in his rage. He slaughtered once more with mist, blades, and arrows reaping entire armies by himself. He carved a bloody swath chasing after the man in black that fled to the Dark Tower._


	3. Ch 3 Legacy of a Shrouded Blade

Ch. 3 Legacy of a Shrouded Blade

* * *

"How long, I wonder, had his madness gone unnoticed by those closest to him?"— Spoken by the current Lucifer of Hell

* * *

Death's favorite season had reached its end. The snows had melted to puddles, trees ready to provide shades, flowers began to boast their bright color. The birds sang a melody that brought the joy of spring to many people. In a rather large traditional style Japanese home at the edge of a town named Kuoh. It is a large, old building located on the northern end of Kuoh, and a Japanese-style building with a classical elegance befitting the area. Even within the old style of some parts of Kuoh, it is of a rare style, and it can be considered a rare example of architectural history. Though it was large and previously unused, its history made it so it was never torn down even in its degradation and having taken up a large amount of space in an area of civic planning. Inside lived the recluse of a man known as Dredgen Yor. He was a good-looking man in his seemingly mid-twenties. Though many say he looks too somber for his age. The stranger was cold. Distant. Damaged, it seemed. He lived with a beautiful young woman named Oryou. She was seen commonly around town or at Kuoh's high school that she attended. She had an incredibly gifted figure with wide hips an hourglass figure and quite massive breasts. Said globes were currently pressed against the chest of the restless man.

The man has a handsome face with sharp features, with almost unnaturally pale skin. A fluffy onyx mane, bangs that hung at the sides of his face. Some of the longer strands of his forelocks covered a portion of his steel colored eyes and nose. Though his hair was messy it still somehow had a certain neatness to it. Under his eyes, bags were slightly visible showing that he lacked any restful sleep. He only ever left the house for his bookstore which was popular with the high school's that were nearby or if Oryou-san seemingly dragged him from their more.

He is typically seen in a large black long coat that falls to his ankles. Under the coat, he wears a dark gray collared button down shirt. A large, old, worn, and long black scarf wrapped around his neck and falling down past his knees. Currently, the man was tossing uncomfortably on the couch upon which he lay. His dream was of an all-consuming fire, a dark tower, and the screams of a dying world. The brand on his right hand leaked shadows through their scars and the brand respectively. A deep monstrous voice came out in but a whisper.

 **{[Your cold pale flesh has become a feast for your own sorrow. With you not yet broken on sorrows road, we have triumphed, though the cycle will continue. You must go on and fight. Even if all your work will all be destroyed and no one remains and you continue sinking in a sea of corruption from your own shadow. We will continue, for it is our only strength. For all I can do is take. Thus all you can do is take. We are Death.]}**

Dredgen awoke instantly at the sound of the Eclipse's voice. He was a panting sweat drenched mess, scars aching, the phantom pain of old wounds causing agony. Stifling a groan as he sits now alert of his surroundings. Lifting up one of his prized creations known as the Thorn. He moved in a blur with dark gray eyes turning alight with a ghastly azure, searching the early morning darkness. All that could be heard was the subtle fall of rain from outside and the soft breathing of his dragon. Suddenly, his right hand clenched up in pain causing the massive revolver to fall from his hands, it disappearing into trailing shadows as it fell as to not wake up Oryou.

 **{[Your resting and yet your not even close to The End.]}**

Oryou's onyx hair spread out around the couch in which they shared. In his response of drawing the hand cannon, he had dexterously removed his hand from her valley on her impressive chest and then from her grasp. Seeing as they where both on the couch he must have had the same nightmare from his past. "I am just tired." The pale man said in monotone his voice just as deep as the specter that had appeared to him. A great black shadowy beast that is reminiscent of a dragon. Shadows streamed around the beast and the light dimmed and frayed around it.

"Midir stop waking me while I sleep, I sleep so little now as is."

 **{Very well], though you are still tormented by the dreams of your past. I merely wished to not extend your suffering.}**

The dragon faded from view the color returning to the way it once was. Though the presence lingered in his mind it had seemingly receded. The man stood from the couch laying the red fluffy blanket on Oryou. She whined softly at the loss of her natural heater.

A small tug at his lips and Dredgen walked to the kitchen of his cabin. Suddenly pain tore through him. His right hand and left eye were ice and tensed. A migraine from the soul scar across his eye flared with tenacious abandon. The soul scars throbbed with a cold burning sensation. The black smokey mist that signified his severed soul leaked out of fractured soul scars. The fire helped ease the pain and a white aura leaked through scales trying to reach an equilibrium with a splintered soul. Magic circuits flaring and fire igniting around the skin and rushing through veins in an attempt to heal what could not be healed. He gripped the counter frost seeping off his body cooling the air and causing seemingly mist to form. Blades pierced his skin and he grunted trying not to scream and wake the resting dragon, the pain of this was nothing to a grumpy and tired dragon or Braize.

Eventually, the somewhat sentient powers resided within him, albeit begrudgingly they complied. Dredgen's abnormally hot internal heat resided to a chill that he had gotten used to with having the power of Niflheim, the name he gave his mist. Most never realize but a dragon's fire is what literally what sustains their body and the mist made that hard to do. He may only be barely a third dragon do to his brand, but it was still detrimental. Normally he lit his fire to warm him to a bare minimum as a habit from having his Niflheim up while he slept in battle. A dragon typically only warms themselves more than needed when resting with their mate. He, however, did not have a mate. After all, he was, the Bringer of Death and his soul was fractured years ago from Braize.

He was no fool and he saw the way Oryou looked at him, he was saddened that the fledgling hybrid had become so attached to him. Though he did appreciate her dragonic doting nature not that he would ever tell her that. Still clutching the counter, the pain began to finally subside. Leaning against the wall the man took a deep shuddering breath before he went as if to move.

 **{[Do you feel the tear?]}**

"Yes, they are near. I wish you would let me see into the Void once more and teach me these prophecies of The Book of Sorrow. To see not feel the false starlight"

 **{[Dredgen if you could see the world and void through my eyes once again you would lose your mind. You may have already assimilated all of Wisdom, but to assimilate all of Death will take time. You can not yet see all. Not yet. The tower was flayed and our shadows are growing, but the reality is losing to the Primeval. We are Oblivion and our domain is the Void but your mind will not hold forever. Remember what I said, my host. You must relink your soul otherwise their whispers will soon collect their toll.]} With that said the distorted deep voice of his only remaining friend known as Midir faded as he once again watched the Void.**

Letting out an exasperated sigh the halfling dragon pulled up his scarf around his mouth like a muffler and stepped into the early morning rain. "I have known that the Truth of Life is the Embrace of Death. You, no, we may be the Aspect of Eternity or Death or whatever our title is, but must this be the only way?"

He walked outside the mist coiling around him. The fading dark form of Dredgen was suddenly a light from lightning. From him leaked a faint glimmer. An afterimage of his soul showing the scars that he held ran even to his soul. His mist formed from around him like vapor mixing with the already present fog and as he walked into the early morning he looked like a reaper preparing to glean his harvest. And so Death walked to the distant sounds of thunder and rain.

* * *

A bonus to being out while raining was that few people were outside. Death's favorite time of year was the winter, but the cold rain that followed was when he was at his calmest. To say that Death was an introvert was an understatement. As Death, he missed the dead a little too much, a bit too often. And a bit more every passing day. And every day he regrets untold goodbyes. No matter how far he runs, life was always there waiting to tear at what remained of his sanity.

Taking a puff on the white roll that hung from his mouth he walked to his destination, a misty umbrella hanging above him. Dredgen often hunted the stray beasts from the Primeval Darkness, the realm of false somehow dark starlight known as Damnation. The Primevals were the antithesis of The Maker and had been thought to be the writers of the Book of Sorrow. They even had attempted to carve out their own Void without the Shard of Eternity. Instead, they had used Odium. The place they created was not his calm gray-skied Void that was his reality shard, but a hellish dimension of azure rift fire and rage. The place he had to say, was aptly named Braize meaning damnation in the lost language of deities.

Letting out a sigh followed by a curse the man felt the presence of new souls that had bled through into this dimension. Blue tainted by shadow-like usual. The ruler of Damnation was Odium, the Aspect of Terror and his sorcerer, his brother former Herald, now Aspect of Chaos. Both of which unleashed the creature formed by the souls made by the Primeval machines, aptly named Taken, to terrorize the creations of this world for their souls and to hunt down the black soul stone that holds Trihexa's soul. Unlike his wraiths who feasted on sorrow and reap souls of those dying to satiate themselves and to keep the balance. Hence their more well-known name as Reapers. Taken, specifically, Thrall used anything at their disposal as kindling for their inner rage. This meant the entire town could soon be consumed by the Thrall, Knights and Maker forgive a Darkling Witch. Sighing once more he flicked the remaining filter that he had of the cigarette and it shattered into black crackling embers, his dark gray eyes losing all color and reverting to a glowing blue that burned with purpose.

His right hand scarred, blackened near the fingers by shadow, reached into his long coat and pulled out multiple masterpieces of iron that streamed with shadows for but a moment. The bladesinger dagger was not capable of being recreated in this realm or any other. The strength of the Memento Mori daggers was enormous and had to rely on the strength of his magic themselves for actual use. The blade suddenly exhumed white ethereal flame-like a mist that curled back away from the curved blade and the entire blade seemed to have a faint ghastly glow to it. It was with a buck knife profile featuring a skinner gut hook-type feature and circular cut out on the blade, just in a much larger package. The dagger can be held in either fashion in the hand and still allows you to place the index finger into one of the two grip holes The grip was made of wood but of unknown origin to having a dark grey near black color to it with silver engraved and adorning the bottom in a point. The weapon itself was massive for a knife measuring close to a foot. It had a white silver blade with onyx runes carved along it. He stepped into the darkness fading into a faint glimmer of mist that was his soul. The warehouse was dark and damp. The few lights that where on flicked dimly. Only because of his supernatural origin was he capable of seeing. Each step he took kicked up a faint amount of dust. Dredgen took several more steps and his vision was suddenly awash with Azure. A great spiraling vortex like a web of shadow entrenched azure appeared and then crackled away. The smell of blood hit him like a freight train and was almost tempted to cover his sensitive nose, but years of war taught him to ignore it.

Dredgen then swore quite violently. A young woman with a voluptuous figure with brown hair but her lower body was that of a gigantic beast with four legs, each having sharp claws, and a snake as a tail. Her overall appearance was reminiscent to that of a Centaur. She had her chest carved open and was leaking blood and misty blue-white fumes.

A stray devil he surmised and her soul had already been cleaved. His dark gray eye was suddenly awash with a silvery blue flame and his pupil slit and burned with a modicum amount of light. He felt rather than saw the souls of the Thralls. Raising his hand filled with daggers preparing to throw in his right hand. He stared forward at the stray devil's carcass. Thoughts from a time long forgotten seeped like ice from cold water to the forefront of his mind. He silenced those poisoning thoughts as he threw one of his daggers. A loud crash echoed in the enclosed room. Every single rune was suddenly aglow. A vortex of gray light lit up the room. The blade tore through the air, time, and space. Thrown at about ninety percent the speed of light. Black ichor mingled with crimson flickering gore splattered along the wall to that the Thrall was behind. He brought the blades up, drawing his arm back before throwing once again into the darkness. His blades singing their song of thrumming metal and followed by vortexes of light from the runes, only to finalized by crashing thunder. Dredgen then looked inward and found he was mildly irritated. Though he had killed the first Thrall that had attempted to attack the young devils another tear in reality in front of him blazed with ire. It was a large undulating web of azure and black with several Thrall walking through the tear the azure sky fading away. As they entered this realm they began to smolder. They look as if a recently extinguished flame was rolling off of them until they ignited into azure flame. Doing what he does the best Death slaughtered the false constructs with ease tearing them to pieces with his blades, pushing them forward and pulling them back. Killing the first wave of Thralls he waited. He pushed himself into the air and pulled on two of his daggers. He landed in a way that caused him to able to push on his daggers while also pulling the Taken closer. As the dead lay still he searched the dark for the signs of a possible Soul Knight.

That was till he heard a familiar voice call out. "Dredgen-san! Is that you?" He turned to see the buxom figure of Akeno Himejima running to him. Suddenly his eyes widened and pupil slit even further. A Soul Knight was looming in front of her. A Soul Knight, unlike a Thrall, is an extremely large Taken. A Soul Knight is a roaring, striding fortress, the Knight is the Primevals foremost and most zealous defender. Centuries of battle have toughened the bony antler-like protrusions on its body into armor as hard as blessed metals - a defense only strengthened by the false magic that Knights use to summon shields of burning souls. The Soul Knight was standing tall behind the new Azure web and was already raising its massive Willbreaker, a blade that felt and understood pain. Carved of fossilized bone and hell-forged metal, dulled by centuries of slaughter and execution, the Willbreaker is the terrible weapon of a Soul Knight. Despite their mass, they swing easily, as if the sword were aware of its action and eager to tear into a life. Do to the cursed inner world he saw and understood the hatred of the knight, the blade and it's history forever resting within his soul. Forever tainting him with its sorrow and nightmares. It was about to bring it down upon the highschooler. The three eyes glowing a molten azure with the glee of taking another soul for it's master's great engines of thought. His body heated up and he used pure instinct and activated his dragon brand, shadows streaming off the brand and igniting not his trademark azure, but a black filled with ire. His eyes now aflame with the same darkness he turned to shadow and disappeared in a blink of an eye.

* * *

Akeno was happy, mildly, hurt, and confused all at once. She lightly jogged to the silent man. Her view was suddenly consumed in a wall of azure, that could only be described as hellfire. It burnt into her view, into her mind. Undulating shadows along the surface faded and a new demon creature appeared from the fading green taking up her view reaching a large terrible blade behind its great head were three eyes burned with glee. The low moan the creature made thrummed through her keeping her still in place. Suddenly a strong and warm arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her deeper into an equally strong chest.

A deafening torrential spiraling vortex of shadowy azure flooded the room like a torrential wind. A single shot, an unmistakable echo calling through the night. Hushed, cutting. One shot, dark and infernal. Followed by silence. Akeno which should have been deafened by the blast of the firearm was fine because of a soft and warm pair of shadowy earmuffs blocked the sound

While unable to hear and disoriented by the shadowy earmuffs she took note of the outstretched hand with crisscrossing eldritch scars seemingly carved into the hand that leaked shadows. She always had noticed his terribly scarred body, but the brand on his arms was a clean cut basically carved into his skin, the brand she noticed was alight in a similar color of darkness, but blazed brighter and with more ire. His hand held something dark and wrong. The weapon is sleek, dark black, with many spikes or "thorns" adorning the sides, facing the front of the weapon azure fire burned near the end wafting back towards the wielder as if seeking it. Shadow dripped from the brand and from his fingers that wrapped around the curved grip.

Risking turning away from her savior she took note of what was the demon that was in front of her. Keynote being was. The freak was missing the upper left part of his body starting at what remained of its hips. Every other part of the demon had been blasted into a paste. A part of the shoulder and arm hung limply off to the beasts left side before tearing and falling to the ground along with the blade. It was simply completely destroyed. Blood and gore splattered across the ground behind the freak. The body smoldered in azure black flames around where the impact of the rounds tore parts of the body apart slowly burning the beast to ash. All around the bodies smoldered softly. Akeno soon also looked to the cause and was surprised at what she saw. Behind her was the man she knew as Dredgen Yor. He was a foot and several inches taller than her. She teased the man often when she was supposed to be studying and he was either working or reading a book. His face was partially hidden by his large cloak, but his eyes that always looked cold and emotionless at first were filled with a seething hatred that seemed to physically burn across the slit eye. Akeno idly wondered what could have caused such hatred in the young man. She eventually took note of his rather handsome features and warmth wrapped around her stomach. Akeno likes always blushed lightly feeling his strong chest and arms and she idly wondered if they would survive the night and if she would ever find out more about the scarred man. Feeling the warm arm pull away she was slightly disappointed, but then the man looked her over intensely. Blushing slightly at how his watchful eyes roamed her body in a sense of protectiveness and care. Her hair suddenly shimmered around her. Frantically reaching into her hair for her mother's ribbon and pulling fully it free from her hair. It became a curtain around her, she looked solemnly at the ruined orange ribbon and gripped it in her hand saddened that she lost what was left of her mother. Before she realized it he had turned around and dropped his left arm under his coat. Curious as to what happening he pulled on the revolver and yet another roar of his handgun sounded out.

After killing the last creature that was a Soul Knight he felt the presence and soul of an angel. Raising and firing his gun without looking he heard the cry of pain.

"H-how did you know?" Dredgen didn't react or answer her question. Instead, he slowly spoke. Without malice and anger. His voice husky, coarse, and emotionless voice seeped into the air, like the billowing of his cigarette smoke that he had previously smoked curled into the air.

"Your soul it shines rather bright for you being a tainted one. Why is that? "

The fallen trembled in his stare. Her view being consumed by the white flickering at the tips of the darkness on his iris and the infinitely black slit pupil. She then saw the burn, the ethereal, bluish-white flameglow within his pupils.

And then... she fainted. Dredgen let out another sigh lamenting how he felt another migraine coming on. Be it from soul scar or the situation. Reaching forward he grabbed the overly buxom fallen by her slim waist and pressed a pressure point on her neck causing her wings to retract. His sudo dragon's senses taking in her sent unwillingly, though it was not unwelcome. She smelled like slight leather, no doubt from her choice of clothes and smell similar to that of roses and vanilla. Another memory tore through him. A memory of crimson roses whitening in a deadened world.

Idly attempting to shove those thoughts aside with a minor shake of his head, he holstered his cannon within his coat and shadows. Sighing he turned to the open-mouthed devils. He took note of the very slight dragonic aura among them. His eyes flickered and he scanned each one until he fell upon shaggy-haired-haired teen, who looked at him with a large amount of rage. And within those eyes, he saw the emerald flickering of a beast almost as old and powerful as him. Almost that is.

"Ara Ara, Ufufufu." Look who was here. Hi there Dredgen-san! His attention was brought away from the broiling crimson and azure presence of the red dragon emperor to the serene smile of one of his most common customers Akeno Himejima. Though he took note of how she not only slightly eyed the fallen that was resting against his chest. And how her smile was far too serene.

A slight tilt of his head and a tug at his stone demeanor appeared on his face. It almost was a smirk, but for Akeno who had known the self proclaimed recluse was quite surprised when she saw his version of a smile, and after being how we say slightly heated by his display of command and power and then how his warm body and muscled arm felt as he saved her, lets just say she heated up a little more.

"Oh my, look at that. You are actually smiling. Happy to see little old me hmm?" She sashayed up to him with an exaggerated sway to her hips.

His deep husky voice billowed out in a whisper. "And if I am hmm? Can't I be happy that you are unharmed, I was worried you know?" he replied tauntingly.

"Oh my, what should I do if you say it like that?" Needless to say, she was countered and her face was now awash with crimson."

Before she could retort, Rias interrupted their banter. "Akeno enough flirting! The agreement of your tenure here in Kuoh is by alerting me of any fallen or angel activity. You not only allowed your kin to roost here, but you knew there was a blessed exorcist here as well! And you seem to be colluding with him as well! And you, exorcist scum, has the church become so bold to allow one of your kind to be here. No, even they would not send one here without a missive. So are you a stray trying to cull your bloodlust. Do I need to end you with my peerage? No, I can do that myself. " Undulating crimson fire of destruction broiled into her hand. She went as if to create an arc and launch it at her ward.

Akeno went to retort, but the dark ice dripped from the deep coarse voice and billowed over all present. "Neither of these girls had any part in any attack here regardless of their nature."

Whilst Akeno struggled to conjure a defensive shield of new thoughts that tore through her at how Dredgen worded his sentence. Had known this entire time of her heritage? It also gave her some hope as Dredgen never seemed to dislike her, sure he might have acted irritated at her teasing at times, but never genuine anger. Dredgen saved her the bother and evoked one himself. Instead of protecting her by the whole, the shield was of a small number of his misty shrouds, and precisely located to only absorb Rias' assault. The unholy substance flashed inside the shield as if consumed, and then, they both were gone from sight. All in just a blink of an eye.

They provided him with slight amusement as he spectated their widening eyes. Some mouths parted in surprise and a bit of shock. Like they had witnessed an unbelievable magic trick. Obviously, the focus of their attentions were all redirected to the man, whose face was starting to show a small portion of his growing exasperation."Which part of "Neither of these girls had any part in any attack here did you not get? Are you dumb?"

Somehow, to retain her dignity and to not lose her calm, Rias replied with the most solemn tone she could muster. "If you are to get in our way, then we won't hesitate—"

"Won't hesitate to what? What will you do? What can you do?" Blaring a dangerously wicked smile, like that of a murderer, the pale man stopped Rias from ever finishing her statement, effectively rendering everybody present in shock of his sharp change of demeanor. "What can you Devils do? Stop me? Are you being serious?"

Oh, how his words hurt her every pride as a Devil. She wanted to hurt him so badly. She had never wanted to hurt someone this bad. Nobody mocks her or her peerage and gets away unharmed. Nobody. Not even a human or an expert exorcist/magician like him. The bored warmth of his eyes was replaced by sheer coldness, and they were trivializing the Devils; not including Akeno and Raynare. His chin that usually hung low and modest, had leveled up, as though to show his arrogance. Who was this man? Where did the Dredgen she knew for the past years go?

It was the first time Akeno felt so distant. A year of talking with him, hanging out with him, teasing him, she couldn't recognize the man before her. A year of knowing him, but in just the matter of two minutes, he became a stranger, suddenly shrouded in callous mysteries and unknown secrets. Dredgen noticed Akeno's face and let out a sigh calming down. His voice billowed out again. "Look I can explain later , but I just woke up and I still need to eat breakfast because of these damn Taken and speaking of food I have a girl at home I still need to feed and make sure she goes to her classes which is the entire reason why we are here in this godforsaken town.

The Devil heiress being a devil however was not satisfied still. "We will hold the meeting tonight after classes."

"I can't tonight I have a bookstore to run."

"Your bookstore is not open on Mondays~!" Akeno tittered out draping herself across him, pressing her large bosoms into his sturdy back. Worried by his change in demeanor, but glad the man she knew was back. The main reason for her teasing him had to deal with wanting Dredgen to not get out of explaining everything.

Dredgen flinched. "Very well I will meet you sometime after class." With that said both the man and the wounded fallen where consumed in billowing shadows and with an odd hum the shadows faded away and both disappeared completely leaving naught but the frosted ground in their wake. Yumi walked over and picked up one of the daggers before it too faded to shadows and mist.

Rias' was peeved and worried about Issei was staring forward glassy-eyed. She fumed, ranting at the audacity at the wizard exorcist.

Ddraig can believe that guy, I mean sure Raynare has some massive tits, but she is undoubtedly evil. Ddraig? Hey Ddraig, you in there?

 **(Hmm, yes sorry partner that man just reminded me of someone and something that I had long forgotten.)**

"You alright, you seem kinda spooked."

( **Yes I am fine just lost myself in thoughts for a second there. If you don't mind I am going to sleep.)**

"Sure go ahead you lazy ass dragon, if I need you I'll call partner." Unknown to the teen, Ddraig was embroiled in conversation.

 **{(~I will not harm your host DDRAIG Y GOCH, however, you must tell not a soul I still exist. Not even the rest of the dragons may know that I exist.~)}**

 **(Yes Archaspect, we dragons were only ever created to serve The Maker and his creations.)**

 **{(~No your kind where the first, yours will be the last. I wish for you not to fear me, none should fear Death~)}**

 **(You wield Death?)**

 **{(~In a sense, I am now Death~)}**

 **(So the prophecies were true?)**

 **{(~Sadly. Yes they were and most likely will be~)}**

 **(So those creations came from the false Void, Braize?)**

 **{(~Aye, keep an eye out for any of those tears. You will know them by the overbearing shadowy rot. And I am sorry I could not save you from HIM~)}**

 **With that said the overbearing shadow disappeared from the ancient dragon's mind.**

 **(The Darkeater. The Black Dragon from the prophecies is residing in his vessel which is one of the lost Heralds. He became Wisdom. Nay became Death.)**

(Maker save us.)


	4. Ch 4 Truths Torn and Remebered

Ch. 4 Truths Torn and Remembered

* * *

The one thing worse than death is to avert yourself from it. Look straight at the people you kill; don't take your eyes off them for a second. And don't ever forget them because they won't forget you.

— Wisdom to a Female Angel and a dying Male Devil on the Shattered Plains

* * *

Oryou awoke wrapped in a fluffy red blanket. In her sleep induced state she sat upright, feeling the need to rub her eyes, she raised her hands in tandem causing the blanket to fall from around her bosom. Not the least bit concerned she continued the relieving motions. After being thoroughly satisfied she pulled the blanket up and around her in a sudo robe, gripping a part of the fluff and nuzzling the warmth beyond satisfied with the feeling. Deciding to get up and see what Dredgen had made for breakfast. Walking from the white rug that covered living room to the hardwood of the kitchen was mildly irritating and caused her to inwardly grumble. Smelling her master cooking breakfast and his coffee flooding the air of the homely space before she entered the kitchen she began to voice her curiosity about what was being cooked.

"Ne Ne Dredgen ca… Eh?" In front of her was most certainly not the man that she loved. In front of her was a fallen angel, a rather lewd one at that. She was an attractive young woman with violet eyes having a slender body. She had long silky black hair down to her hips and possessed two black feathered wings, one of which was wrapped and more like a stump. Her outfit consisted of no more than a strap that could be leather wrapped around her chest attempting to hide away her impressive chest. The straps ran around and under her massive breasts. As for her lower region, a thong-like piece held around her hips by three thin straps and sunk into the mass of her rear. She also had gloves that ran right up her arms and black high heels. She had on a white apron with the words kiss the chef embroidered in gold that she seemed to be reaching to remove before she entered only to let out a cute sound before quickly attempting to hide her wings behind her. To assuage her fear she slit her eyes only to add more to the impish fallens surmounting fear.

Forgoing the previous action to point at her. "Ehh?! Wha-what are you doing here." Raynare was quite confused and though she had known the man for only a few hours after she awoke and she noticed her wing was healing, however much slower than normal, she had not expected someone else to live in the house.

"Ehh?! Who are you? This is my house."

"Master Yor brought me here and treated me for my wing after he shot it off. Since he said that he was gonna be busy he asked if I could cook breakfast. Though I don't know how to make a Japanese breakfast well, do know how to create a decent western dish." Raynare gestured to the admittedly good looking meal resting on the table.

Oryou's nose could smell the eggs, hash browns, hotcakes, along with some breakfast meat simmering. Raynare sweat dropped seeing her apparent other host begin to drool at the table. Oryou then shook her head, quite violently and spoke in a hurried manner "WAIT, you mean Dredgen shot your wing off!" Raynare merely responded with an impish nod, which caused Oryou to storm off muttering irritations under her breath. Raynare realized where she was going and followed her into the living room and up the stairs following the stomping form of an angry blanket wearing women. "Wait! Mistress Yor, the master said not to bug him. Something about a splitting headache."

"E-hhh!" Whirling around and pointing an accusatory finger at the fallen maid. "I am not his wife or his lover" ' _Yet'_ she inwardly thought.

"E-hhh! Im sorry, but still I don't think we should bug him. He seemed pained after using his magic this morning." The fallen briefly bowed, but running through her mind was many a lewd thought. I mean she now could have both. Her pupils seemed to have pink hearts glowing within them for but a moment. Oryou, however, was turned away.

Oryou's eyes widened and she turned and pushed the door open. A chilling mist pooled out and a cold fog hung low to the ground inside the rather spartan room with simple gray walls that were adorned with old manuscripts of magic or blueprints for something ancient and vast. Books lay in reckless abandon around the shelves, stacked on the floor and open on the desk. A surprisingly clean and neat bed also was seen. At the wooden desk stood the man known as Dredgen Yor, his broad back was to them with his long coat resting on the admittedly comfortable looking chair and a cloak hanging on the wall next to the desk. Though a glow washed the wall in terrible azure. And then Oryou knew. She saw what was ailing him. His shirt was rolled up on each arm and his brands on his arms burned with azure fire filled with ire. He had his arm clenched and was looking over a book, he then turned to both poorly dressed girls at his doorway. Both girls saw his eyes awash with darkness and a lock of his onyx hair was now a pale unnatural white. The girls also saw a massive weapon on his desk, another one of his creations with a twisted purpose, his first creation one that had a purpose as jagged as it's bloom. The thorn, in reality, burned the same ghastly blue as his brand around the gems seated on each side of the barrel. He met Oryou's eyes as he was wrapping a bandage of sealing around his hands. His hands were trembling. His fingers less dextrous, and his left finger darkened and drenched in shadows. His normally near lifeless eyes show anger and mild panic in them.

Oryou knowing what to do ran to him leaving the terrified fallen at the doorway. She went to him and hugged him causing the blanket to slip down to her shoulders, she held him there and knew rather than saw his eyes die down to gray-blue glow an. He sat in the embrace panting and with a cold sweat, tears streaming down his face silently. She did not ask what he saw for she already knew a willbreaker after all was made for killing the Heralds. Their embrace continued until the light left his eyes and he slumped forward. He whispered something inaudible to both girls could not here, but Oryou did not mind and laid him on his bed and in a show of brazen confidence she began to unbutton the dark gray shirt exposing his sweat-slicked chest for both girls to feast their eyes on. Across his chiseled feature was scarred from tooth and blade still visible even to this day. But what was striking the most was a big mark on his upper back and chest. It wasn't anything like his other scars he got from his time at war for it had been a swirling, moving black brand with scales, shifting and changing it's pattern every second in every possible combination, geometric sigils, impossible vectors, it was beyond the abstract concepts of reality as it was itself a law-bending, defying reality and space-time concept of existence, changing by his own thoughts. And surrounding it was heavy burns which were caused by his flesh burning whenever he was close to something of the essence of supernatural beings. His chest bore a slash from a previous skirmish, those wounds had not healed as they were before he had devoured an Original, Eternity, and gained its characteristics. Those scars would remind him of his life before and his burden now until he faded. In another show of confidence, she removed the blanket that was wrapped around her and threw it over Dredgen knowing that his fire would weaken as he slept.

Raynare's cheeks alighted in a faint dusting of red unknowingly gazing quite heavily at the dragoness. Fallen nature didn't quite discriminate and her instincts were almost pleading at how unfair the girl was for having a man like Dredgen and vice versa. Though she did note the pinkish-red eyed girl saying that they were not a thing, though she also saw that she intended to make it happen anyway. Not that Raynare minded sharing either of the supernaturals in front of her. ' _Now that would make one hell of a threesome.'_ Raynare realized she was partly drooling and shook her head ' _No Raynare, this not the time! We can think about a harem route later._ ' Raynare after her inward conversation came to with the slightly shorter, slightly more busty women in front of her.

"My name is Oryou Datenshi-chan. I know you have questions and I need to shower and get ready for school so I will answer them after." Flustered by how close the nude dragoness was Raynare tried to stutter out a reply which only got a smirk from Oryou who leaned forward and with one of her dainty fingers closed the fallen jaw causing an even deeper blush to form. "Wait I'll be back soon." She walked by the fallen and put extra emphasis to those large hips of hers causing the fallen to almost coo at the sight, before hearing a giggle from the dragoness as she closed the door. "No ecchi datenshi-chan." Raynare was now a blushing mess and her instincts were aflame and she knew that she had made the right choice in making a master-servant pact with her mysterious master.


	5. Ch 5 Wisdom's End

Ch. 5 Wisdom's End

* * *

"Wisdom shall be lost to his truths, that he had so desperately sought..."

— An excerpt from The Book of Sorrow, speculated by some to be related to the Seeker of Truth, Malthael

* * *

His dreams always were the same. Yet it was more like a nightmare. He dreamed of what started it all.

 _Flames coiled around the black-haired man. At his feet, a circle of the Enochian script was emblazoned into the ground by the gray-blue flame. The man looked to be in his early twenties. His cold azure colored eyes held sadness for what was happening around him. The Azure was so piercing it looked as if a blob of color from a distance A cold foreboding numbness spread from his right hand. A magic brand of binding on his palm. The cursed burning circle was ruined by a scar that started on his palm and went up to his arm. The circle it almost called to him, he almost could remember something. But fire, not from around him, but from within burned through his veins and jolted him back to reality. The fire tore through him in a way he simply could not describe, the pain unimaginable. He tried to remember anything of who he was but his left side of his face held great pain. Crying out in pain straining his vocal cords, the pain in his head was like a blade being twisted deep within his mind. All of his scars from the torture that was his life felt deadened and unnatural. He could not see this but eyes burned with black and white fire. The color beginning to burn away. The lost azure was now turning to steel. In their slit pupil, a blue-gray light burned from a land and time unknowable nor imaginable. The only telling of this happening was his vision seemingly blurred gray before feeling sharp pain and then perfectly able to pick out detail not normal for any creature. He was able to see the wispy white mist fading off those around him. This was enhanced by activating his Brand of the Endless the mist seemed to react and curl around him and he could control the shrouds of the chilling mist with ease, causing reality to rot away if he chose. The blurriness eventually faded but his body still felt alight from within. He looked up and let loose a tired strangled sigh. The flames rising up and blocking out what was visible in the cold winter sky. Snow attempted to fall only to be completely incinerated by the terrifying black and white flames. The description of the flame sounded odd but the flame seems to be akin to that of a black hole and it consumed light ferociously but was also at the same time fueled by the light._

 _The once peaceful city was completely drenched in the cacophony of screams and the roar of the flames as they consumed anything they could alight, which sadly seems to be everything. The man was confused as to the familiarity he held with the flame, but that could wait till he was out of this hell. He trudged through the burning wreckage of the town hearing cries for help, he attempted to help several different people but he was an already broken himself, his back was bleeding from right shoulder to left hip cut by a seemingly massive claw. It pained him terribly to hear the despair of those that were dying to the flames and smoke however he could not help them and as much as it hurt him he was not dead yet and they were it was as simple as that._

 _While trudging through the flames both external and internal he had looked to his left after hearing the groan of wood and instantly picked out the figure of a man pinned by a piece of wood through his abdomen, he had maybe minutes left to live, but they would be excruciating, the man, however, could do nothing. The urge to cry and mourn was there but he could not. Turning away to continue his harrowing journey he heard something._

 _"Sometimes you have to let the fire take from you to be able to burn the others to the ground." His voice gasped out speaking knowledge that couldn't be of his own._

 _The man briefly remembered people he once knew, but his world was now that of the flame. That was the world that the man was brought into, not literally but as he trudged through ash and despair, as his memories of the past were consumed, all that was left was the flame. The memories of his comrades and precious friends joined the flame. He knew of the cries of pain and despair, recognized and understood but never truly listened to the screams of his people but, all he could do was walk forward, step by step, heedless of the cries of the dying. Desolation around him and a flame searing his very soul he trudged on, heedless of his wounds of the burns unwillingly inflicted by the flames. He gradually slowed to a stop not even realizing when his feet gave out. He was aware of the flames, he knew them and they seemed to respond to him almost attempting to recoil away from their master but he was heedless of the sorrow the flames seemed to hold as they coiled around and within their master._

 _He had escaped and as he sat there in the light dusting of snow and ash, the black and white flames crackled and ignited around his skin as if he was the kindling. He overlooked the town that he had once known of and possibly lived in._

 _He let loose another strangled sigh and looked upward to the sky and was once again able to see the snow lightly falling. The man gazed solemnly at the dark gray sky. That was until light erupted mildly blinding him. Holding out his scarred right hand at the blinding light in the distance. As he became adjusted to the light he took stock of the background. What lay in the distance of was an unusual pitch black tower. It was shattered and crumbling and smoldering in white black flames. The upper tower was gone. In Front of the now soulless one was the man clad in black. He was sitting comfortably on a slab of an obsidian-like shard. He was seemingly the moon that blocked out the light. The person caused a sense of loathing from him and the Flames responded in kind. It was someone he knew well. The Aspect of Valor, the one known as the Man in Black. His brother Imperious._

 _"There's little in life that's so disheartening as the constant cold. Wouldn't you agree with my brother." Imperious' eyes now burned crimson instead of the amiable soft gold that they used to have._

Another memory tore through the dreamscape replacing the last.

 _"I will bring an end to the conflict. In death, there will be peace..." The world almost seemed to dampen. The lights now seemingly damp, dimming as if the sky itself was sorrowed by the destruction, mourning the countless loss of souls that will soon come. Smoke the color of the darkest black soon swept forward and enshrouded his view. Mist blanketed the realms. As the living died and the world was rent asunder by flame and shadows, the dying world had finally passed on and peace soon found the land turning it gray and cold, but without pain and suffering._

Jarring lapse back to the previous memory. The landscape changed from the taunting view of his failure to save his family. the world in the Reality Marble is a hill of swords that spreads infinitely in his mind. It was now the final illusion that he saw on the verge of death, the only pride left within himself. It was his soul as it was now, a kingdom of rubble littered with thousands, perhaps a countless number, of swords anchored in the ground like grave markers in a wasteland, yet are well preserved. It is a world likened to a steel mill, filled with weapons, frost, and mist.

 _The Man in Black smiled. "After all this is your soul. Though time is limited. Shall we tell the truth then, you and I? No lies?"_

 _"Now you wish to speak truthfully? After all that has been lost."_

 _"But the Man in Black persisted as if Malthael hadn't spoken. "Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, not even as brothers, but as equals? There is an offer you will get rarely, Malthael. Only equals speak the truth, that's my thought on't"_

 _Skeptically Malthael nodded his head. And began with his first question._

 _"Have we been here before? At this field of naught, but blades."_

 _"Why do you ask? the Man in Black asked with what seemed to be a slight curl of giddy excitement."_

 _"I remember this place, I seem so tired. Like I am starting to Fade already. Had you really caused me to...? I look to the gray sky and let loose a strangled sigh. My vision blurred, a terrible ache and sense of loss came upon me, pain blossomed behind my left eye. I don't know what happened before that, I can remember only one thing, a name, Malthael, was the only thing I could think of... I often dream of this place at night... heh, more like a nightmare the fields of nothing._

 _"If you must know yes. You have been here before. Though each time you 'die' and I resurrect you we start over. This is why you have that ghastly mist chasing you. It's an afterimage of your soul. And each time you forget the last time. For you, each time is the first time. Though this is the first time we will be holding this conversation. It will also be the last time we will speak. The Aspect of Valor spoke offhandedly about this, almost as if bored of the topic._

 _"Why?"_

 _"For the one who Ends must be there at the end. But eternity is just far too large for the finite mind to even attempt to grasp. Even your mind, arguably the oldest and most mature of all still would have trouble. So I had to rewrite your mental landscape. I had an idea, the only way for you to be able to contain the truth of reality. It is interesting. The prosaic fact of the universe's existence alone defeats both the pragmatist and the romantic. Yet there is time, space, and the Void."_

 _"The Void?"_

 _"Yes, the Void. It is unspeakable. It is infinite and it is nowhere, ever-changing and perpetual. "It is space. It is time. And yet it is also neither. There are more things in the endless black Void than are dreamt of in their natural philosophy. The Void came to, screaming into existence before the birth of the universe, and is a manifestation of the unknowable nothingness of what lies beyond and before. It was there in the beginning before Father attempted to smother it." It is a land of desolation, pain and no hope. The nightmarish dimension said to exist outside space and time, as well as inhabit it. It is the place where the truths of reality are woven and spun. And where the decay of the universe originates. No-one truly understands how the Void came into existence, but Books of Counted Sorrow sow tales of its terrible powers and the Void has been noted in the books to have existed even before the Shattering of reality into Shards. The books speak of it as an infinite realm of unfettered shadows, tortured landscapes of crazed organic machinery, magical weapon-looms, and mountainous flesh-forges, and a place of constant unreality. None have yet ventured into the Void and lived, to be touched by this power is to suffer an agonizing glimpse of eternal unreality, enough to even ruin bearers of Shards. This is the reason why those few that can "walk" through the Void. Very few people still know of the Void. Fewer still know of the prophecy tied with the Void._

 _But we know, we the Heralds know. We know of the land of damnation with its infinite gray skies and blizzards that freeze space and time. The cold that can kill with Taken kings and primordial Primevals torturing our minds and souls. The end of all things known as Desolations, Ragnarok, The End, whatever. The false reality shard of the Void will eventually select a host and bring balance to the world. Eternity's king of shadows born unto reality as his vessel. This vessel goes by many different names, some of which cause even reality to scar. He is known as many titles throughout history. The Angel of Black Between Stars… Eternal Abyss… The Endless… The Seeker of Truth… The Bringer of Death… The Soulless One… The Pale Raven… Wisdom... Mistborn King… and the Taken King, The End. He will bring balance one way or another."_

 _"So our journey was all for nothing? All the times we tried to save them only to die and be locked away for eternity? All that time in hell, for naught?"_

 _"Nothing? Everything in the universe denies nothing; to suggest an ending is the one absurdity. And you, my brother are to be that absurdity. Your mere existence is that of balance. "_

 _"So you say that I have become a new aspect?"_

 _"Exactly right! You may not realize it, but you had always been the Herald of Death. Then you became Wisdom, the Aspect of Death. Now think about this. Time belongs to the Tower, but who or what controlled Time before the Tower?"_

 _"The Maker."_

 _"Nay It was the being both known as Eternity and the realm known as the Void. Before he created the reality from the Void the tower existed. It existed for two reasons, the first one was to help preserve reality which had not already been shattered into the shardic concepts. The other was to hold the Void at bay. The Tower is the physical representation of the reality shard of Eternity. And it worked. He had created you, a monster, not even I could ever hope to control._

 _Dredgen inwardly thought of all that he killed. All of his 'justice'. "Why all the pain. Why was it needed?" he said quietly._

 _"How else could I make a perfect Death? They tortured you, eviscerated you. I brutalized your mind, but it did not work. Nothing we ever did could break you. That was until you were branded by the Void and you burned what remained of the Tower down, destroying your council inside. With Trihexa subjugated and the war all but over the survivors had to watch as the being known as Herald of Wisdom, now Death as he destroyed the tower and brought the end of the Great War. The template was laid out and you were to be the new vessel of the Void which sought desperately for its a representational entity. However, there was one problem." The Fallen Arisen said "And it was not your force of will, nor your Void devilry. Or your innate darkness, it was something else. It always came back to it. Can you guess? I will give you a hint. It had to do with your being a vessel to hidden dragon heritage."_

 _"My heritage! The soulless one yelled out white crackling embers around his body. I am not even a full dragon! The power I wield mutated my soul into that of a Dragons, as all beings made from shards of reality will eventually become. My soul is flayed and splintered. My aura once white is now mottled and shadowed affecting even my fire. My physical wings are shredded and torn. A part of my soul leaks from me in an afterimage. My light has been deadened. And my right arm is heavy and dulled by a chill, not even my fire can warm because of this eldritch brand. And you have the audacity to say there is still more of me to take!"_

 _"It is the soul bond."_

 _The half dragons tirade abruptly ended. … N… No… Please… No…_

 _"All of the pain and torture. All of your friends. Our family. Your lovers. They all died for a reason. They died because of you. I had them killed off over and over again to make you terrified of people and the prospect of bonding. Because one day you will find someone who will see you as a damaged and broken and attempt to fix what has been done. She will come to love you. And then what happens when she dies? You lose yourself to your flame. This is how I managed to kill your father."_

 _"My soul is shattered."_

 _"Regardless somehow within that derelict primordial horror that is your soul, they will be able to look at you, that terrifying, and broken thing. And take away your pain. the Man in Black had leaned forward his eyes slightly glazed and with all of the seriousness required to know he was right and true._

 _"Remember that brother. "_

 _"?"_

 _"Never your mind. The Void has taken root within you, the brand is proof of that. Do you feel any different?"_

 _"The brand on my hand throbs painfully whenever I look at the tower. Like a cold burn worming it's a way to my soul."_

 _"Does it hurt?"_

 _"Yes, but not in the way you would think. It makes me feel cold and hollow. Almost somber."_

 _"Ah yes, your fire being dark it is changing to that of a flame that sears the soul. That would be the Void accepting you and molding you your origin and the aspect of this domain. The Void is both present in the shadowy black of before and the misty white of after. Your flame and aura have changed to represent each extreme. One the cold nothingness from before and the misty purgatory of the end._

 _A loud crash was heard like the ringing of bells, beating out several times. "Well, it seems my time is up and the Father of Terror himself calls. Remember what I said, brother. Remember Death, Father deemed it necessary for me to mold you in this way. If you wish to know my title it is now that of Chaos. Hopefully, someday you will choose to forgive me and Father. Goodbye, little brother._

 _Baffled Dredgen watched as the new Aspect of Chaos disappeared from the world with only a slight hum of starlight. Atop the shard of the tower which he sat a revolving shadowy abyss appeared. A blighted door upon the world._

The memory marched forward

 _She was crying_

 _The girl had tear stains running down her face as she sat their sniveling in the winter air. She was scared of what the man in front of her had done to the once full of life world. Hearing the man sigh she looked up at him and was shocked. This man was an Arisen!_

 _He hugged the girl tight to his chest. "Thank you for surviving." A cold deep monotone whispered out._

" _Why? how can you be so happy when there are so many dead?!" She cried out tears starting to form once again._

 _A deep, cold, emotionless voice sounded out in what was essentially a whisper_

" _I saved you. I finally saved someone. That is all that matters to me right now."_

 _Looking up once again she found her eyes gazing not into a faceless void, but into the slightly slit silvery white eye of the man. What if he found out what she was? Would he kill her just as he killed those beasts? But should I tell him? Gathering strength she did not know she had she decided upon telling him._

" _Would you care that you saved a monster? I am no better than those demons you killed you know. I am a monster myself." She shrugged her black robes down enough to expose her shoulders and back, stopping short of her massive globes and with a flutter all of her wings appeared. Fourteen jet black wings careened from her pale skin as a sign of her heritage. All ten feathery and yet of scales._

 _Expecting to hear the twirl of his black blade that she had seen moments before. She closed her eyes at those thoughts. She was not however expecting to feel warm and light ghosting along one of her wings. Letting out a shocked squeal she opened her eyes suddenly._

" _Eep!"_

" _I see no monster. These wings disgusting? They are more beautiful than mine. Like a shadowed dove" Once again he lightly ghosted across one of her wings the girl to shudder. Seeing this he pulled his scarred right hand away taking it as a sign of unwanted touch when in fact is was the opposite._

" _If you are a monster, a beautiful lost angel. Then I fear for how the world sees me." He stood as if to leave mist revolving and circling around him attempting to swallow him whole._

 _She had seen what could be called overwhelming sorrow in that man's eye, and her anger died down, he seemed much more distraught than she had first thought. 'Maybe this way I can repent by loving him even though he can't love himself.'_

" _I would like to go with you!" She cried out pleading_

 _Death was about to retort with a denial, but then she spoke once more._

" _I have never had anyone."_

 _She looked up expecting him to verbally deny her, instead her weakened form was suddenly embraced once more in a bridal carry._

And then the final memory a premonition of the future, he knew naught how other than it must be.

 _Where Dredgen once stood was the figure of the Herald of Wisdom and now Aspect of Death. He was now the Lord of Death and became its Aspect all through his ideals. The man let out a strangled sigh and raised his hand to his right eye due to the pain of his fire coursing through his body with renewed vigor. The flames understandably were happy after all their master was whole once more. His flames were eager. And Death's wraiths stood ready within the mist._

 _The nobleman stood. And the people looked to him. For he was a beacon - hope given form, yet still only a man. And within that truth, there was a great promise. If one man could stand against the night, then so too could anyone - everyone. In his strong hand, the man held a Rose, his prize. And his aura burned bright. When the man journeyed on, the people remembered. In his wake hope spread. But the man had a secret fear. His thoughts were dark. A sadness crept from the depths of his being. He had been a hero for so long, but pride had led him down sorrow's road. Lifting his fingers to his lips he let out a whistle that cut through the air. His wraiths now around him, slowly the shadows' whisper became a voice, a dark call, offering glories enough to make even the brightest Light wander. He knew he was fading, yet he still yearned. On this last day, he sat and watched the crimson sun fall. His final thoughts, pure of mind, if not body, held to a fleeting hope - though they would suffer for the man he would become, the people would remember him as he had been. And so the merciful man hid himself beneath darkness no flesh should touch, and gave up his mortal self to claim a new birthright. Whether this was choice or destiny, is a truth known only to fate. In that cool evening air, as dusk was devoured by night, the nobleman ceased to exist. In his place, another stood. Same meat. Same bone. But so very different. The first and only of his family. The sole forbearer and last descendant of the name Yor. In his first moments as a new being, he looked down at his best friend the Herald of Conquest and his onyx blade Nightblood, still sheathed in silver. And then drew the blade and the tortured mind and body of a nobleman died and was replaced by the aspect of a cold blade meant to kill. The weapon burst into black flame with ivory howling around the infinitely black. He then looked down at his Rose that sat on his hip and realized for the first time that it held no petals: only the jagged purpose of a blade, which was meant to maim and kill. He soon realized this blade was naught but himself._

" _Why must I_ _ **CLING**_ _to the answers? What if I_ _ **TAKE**_ _from not others, but death? In the end, no one is_ _ **SPARED**_ _. Because of the_ _ **TRUTH**_ _of Life… Is the_ _ **EMBRACE**_ _of death."_

 _"Yes. I will no longer seek the truth. Not again."_

 _ **"Never again."  
"I will begin to carve my own."**_ _  
He then stepped up to the shard mist flowing around him. He began ignoring those around him and walked through the blighted accursed doorway. He walked out of nowhere toward nowhere, a man from another time who, it seemed, had reached a point of pointless ending." With a hum of starlight and with a billow of smoke the blade shrouded in the shadow that man should not touch flickered away.  
_ _ **"Mayhaps"**_ _A voice whispered. Dark, terrible, primordial._ _ **"this time it will finally be different?"**_ _  
_… _  
_… _  
_…

Dredgen jolted awake. He saw that he was in his room, the fan gently blowing some of the pages of the books around him. The windows were open, but the curtains were drawn and lazily wafting in the wind. The sky was more twilight than blue, but the mist had not yet arrived to claim the night. "I slept?" Memories of this mornings confrontation tore through his mind. He felt something wrong and saw the thorn was still blazing in but a flicker. It was easier for him to use this cursed weapon than his own cursed powers but damned if he didn't feel the repercussions of using the cursed vessel. He saw that it was far into the evening. Standing up groggily he felt the throbbing of both of his brands on his arms. More so on his chest, he felt a burn. Looking down he noticed he was shirtless and that his gray-black brand simmered with heat and a gray glow between the scales. "Hmm, supernatural this time?" He threw on just his dark gray shirt and began to button it up. As he weaved his way through the towers of books he noticed a note on the door. It was written in Oryou's practiced calligraphy. He read it internally ' _Datenshi-chan and I went to school. Apparently, she needs to converse with the devils here. She borrowed one of my uniforms. That woman is ridiculous in proportions! I mean she even stretched out my shirt! And the skirt was still far small on her let alone the fact that I had no bra or panties that fit her so she went without a bra to school wearing that thong of hers. Anyways whenever you awake apparently you are needed to talk with the head Devil here too. By the way, we have much to talk about when we get the chance.'_ His eyes widened suddenly having remembered talking to the fiery heiress. He went to the table grab his thorn causing it to smolder and disappear into shadows and then billowing of smoke and shadowy vapor coiled around him and with a puff of gray smoke the vapor disappeared.


	6. Ch 6 Death Makes a Deal

Ch.6 Death Makes a Deal with the Devil

* * *

"Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark. Soaring forever on unaware of the turbulent winds caused by Death."

* * *

The only telling his arrival was the temperature chilling the Victorian room. The shadows darkened even more. It was as if the shadows had blackened and solidified to a deeper, grimmer shade. As the mist billowed away it left the tired and weary figure of Dredgen to be seen with a white roll within his mouth causing smoke to waft up into the ceiling. Everyone noticed how his hair had begun to whiten. Only Raynare, Akeno, and Oryou noticed his once silver tinted eyes darken. He had appeared to find a dark green haired man in front of him touching Rias' thigh, all the while leering at Akeno and Oryou. Everyone in the room was caught off guard even Oryou was still flummoxed when it came to his sudden comings and goings. He had the sleeves of his shirt rolled up. He swept a scarred hand through his hair causing the whitened part to be pushed back. Afterward, he grabbed the roll and exhaled. Everyone was still silent. He raised an accusing eyebrow that had a fleck of white also. "Anyone gonna explain to me what's going on?" A magically cursed spear of ice flew towards him. It happened so quickly and with no sort explanation that nothing was said horror was etched onto everyone's features.

With a flick of his finger, the cigarette popped up into midnight colored vapor, disappearing into the air. He calmly put his hands into his pockets and mist leaked out from behind his form. The shadowy fog froze the space around him even freezing Satan's maid and her magic in place.

When time returns to its natural flow, only then does everyone realize what had happened. Raynare and Oryou jumped back in shock and fear, as the rest quickly stand up.

The scarred man walked forward past the ice. The ice in the air begins to freeze, as the maid falls back in awe.

" He... is freezing my ice? H... how is this even possible?" Grayfia's thoughts were in disarray. She was terrified and her instincts as an older and powerful Devil were aflame with wanton lust that took the silverettes breath away.

The stalactite begins to shatter, its broken parts disappear into nothingness. Matter is no more. No water or steam in its place. Absolute disintegration. The mist swirling around it and falling away as it disappeared.

Her field of vision begins to distort, as everything around that man seemed to crumble and fall away. He was the singularity. Time and space are no more, only he stands tall in the dead center. There is no one but them there, a location unknown. A black void, that allows not the meaning of thought. She falls on her knees. She can not turn her head, nor close her eyes. She is forced to stare into his, as a strange feeling of attachment and lust begins to consume her. The chill turns into an unbearable cold, as he is getting closer. She goes to stand up and fight him, but a voice inside her screams for her to stop. She is frightened and unable to move.

In the eyes of the world, it looks like an oath, an act of loyalty, a bow to the one true king. A woman on the floor, frozen by fear. She looks not like a queen nor a warrior. But what her clothing represents. A maid, a slave.

"That is enough!" Rias shouts as she pushes the chilled form of Dredgen back, before running to her maid. She takes her into her arms, trying to calm her down. Her feelings are written all over her face, one she had wished she would never have to see, that of weakness. Her breathing is fast, almost no air entering. They let her catch up, as she finally returns to her senses.

" Why?! Why would you do that to her?!" Akeno practically screams towards Dredgen. She had been raised by Grayfia and was worried by what he had done to her.

" Me? I did nothing." He says in his defense. The man said it so solemnly within that coiling mist that the situation seemed to calm down for most.

" Do not play idiot with me! You went too far!" Rias yelled jabbing a finger to his chest.

" I already told you, I did nothing. She brought this upon herself. Her bloodlust towards me triggered a similar reaction from my part. One I have no control over in a state where I can feel more of my emotions. She fell victim to her own weakness and no one's else."

" And we are supposed to believe that?"

His eyes darted down to her, glaring at her from the corner of his iris that blazed azure" You can believe whatever you want. I am speaking the truth though. I was simply already moving to help her up." He tells them. He stooped low to the ground and wrapped his hands around the soft and supple form. Before carrying her to the couch which the small white haired girl and the blonde blade-wielding one backed away to let him set her down.

" Sister, are you ok?" Rias asks in worry.

A cough answers her question, and to allow fresh air to fill her lungs. A welcome sensation, that of breathing. She had never imagined she would come to miss it so much.

" I... I am sorry for what happened, sister. I apologize for my guest's poor behavior." She says in a tone of true regret.

"It is fine. I attacked first after all." She begins to say, as she leans on Rias' hand savoring the warmth, before patting it and letting it fall. She gazed upon him before she continues. " I suppose I should be the one apologizing. I knew not that you were to be here during the meeting However, and excuse me if I am being rude, why is there such a strong being capable of being inside the Gremory territory?" She asks, giving her sister in law a judgemental look.

The man in question leaned down and took her hand in his. Grayfia noted that it was cool at first, but started to warm up she clutched to it like a lifeline. His voice came out surprisingly frustrated, billowed out from the normally emotionless man. "No. I apologize, I have not been in my right mind today and had caused you to glimpse of the darkness that no flesh should touch. Let alone see. For that I am sorry." He leaned down kissing her knuckles before gracefully rising to his full height his face once again losing most of its emotion as he calmed. Grayfia, however, could not keep the blush from rising to her pallid cheeks. ' _He acts similar to how Lord Lucifer acted. He is so noble.'_

Dredgen's eyes simmered to silver, yet he still glared at the green haired devil. "Are you gonna attack me also?"

"Nay you filthy human. If you can do that to the maid of Lucifer I have no want to face you. Or maybe you both are just weak? After all, she was only spared by Lord Lucifer during the war because of her body. Who knows. Anyway, leave us be filth I was talking with my fiance, who is also been behaving quite erratically." A slap sounded out. Akeno stood in front of him her hand having been raised. A red handprint marring the right side of the Heir of Beelzebub. Anger flashed in his golden eyes. Lashing out as if to strangle the hybrid he shouted in anger. "Rias your whore of a servant has belittled me for the last time." A resounding crack sounded out as a scarred fist collided with the heir's face. Everyone stood wide-eyed as Dredgen had lashed out his scars leaking a slight mist and his iris pinpricks of azure. Diodora fell to the ground, his face now bloodied and disfigured. Coughing up globs of blood, causing a stain on his white cloak. He glared in anger at the man who dared to harm him. The rising and falling of the hybrids breathing caused her incredible chest to rise and fall. A smirk crossed his features as he rose from the ground albeit shakily. "I will take my leave, for now, Rias, but we will soon be married." Glancing back at the Queen. "And once we are not even your servants will be safe from me. I will defile and partake of all of them." Giving a dignified bow, his smirk left his face. "And you human. I will deal with you later. With that toodaloo." Diodora left in a shimmer of a dark green magic circle.

Akeno had not yet stilled in his arms as she shook with emotion. He began running his deadened and scarred hand through her silky tresses. He idly noted the pain that the punch had caused his hands. Not the punch itself, but the pain of emotion causing each of his scars to scream their existence to him. As she calmed down he noticed that she was clutching on to his hand on her shoulder. A small smile made its way across his features.

Akeno was jolted from her stupor by the cool air tickling her ear. "Akeno, would you mind making us some tea." His deep husky voice thrummed through her. Nodding her head he gave a light pat to her shoulder before pulling away to ironically sit down in Rias' office chair. This brought a giggle from the queen as she went to go do her duties and seeing her smiling face brought another slight one to his own. It soon fell however as he turned to the rest of the room only for his eyes to catch the pink ones of an overly irritated heiress. On purpose, he leaned back into the chair kicking his feet up on top her desk similar to how he would lounge about in his own home while thinking.

The red head stood hands on her hips, right foot tapping in an irritated manner.

"Wot?" The scarred man decided to tease the firey red head.

Grayfia had returned to her previous status as a maid and stood near a visibly annoyed Rias. She looked at him curiously. She could potentially find out what he was in truth. But that's not what mattered at the moment.

"Ah, Yor-sama! Good timing, I am glad that you helped diffuse the situation!"

Dredgen perked up one eyebrow. "Hmm? No problem, Issei was it? I heard about you from Oryou. Something about how your friends tried to peak on her only to get beaten.."

"A yeah sorry about that. We honestly thought you didn't exist so we probably wouldn't have peaked on her. Probably. Another thing Dredgen-san, can you teach me how to build a harem?!" Issei's eyes sparkled emerald for a moment. Dredgen figured that the poor sod got his aspect of greed and lust from Ddraig. Well… It is a far better choice compared to wrath and pride.

"...That was the most ridiculous thing I've heard coming from anyone, Issei." The man said in his monotonous tone and fittingly unimpressed face. "Just get girls to like you."

Issei contemplated, nodding sagaciously before he continued his—admittedly improper—small discussion. "I see, I see. How the hell do you do that."

"Try not being a pervert, Ise-senpai." Koneko aloofly jibed, before returning to her dango.

"That's a good start. Why don't you ask that Diodora guy instead?" He then gestured removing one of his arms from behind his head. "Do you see any girl surrounding me right now?" He then returned his arm to comfortably support his head. Oryou trotted to his side just to ruin his fun while building hers. "...Let me rephrase that. Do you see any girls surrounding me right now?"

Akeno slithered to his other side upon entering the room and setting down a cup of tea in front of him. She then grabbed ahold of his right arm, giggling her usual giggles. Oryou on his left suddenly sprouted her two of her four dragon wings. Admittedly they were adorable only about a foot and a half in length in human form. She floated behind the leather chair and placed her sizable bosoms around his head. She then looked over to Raynare and patted the chair. Raynare followed impishly over to Dredgen's side in a far to small school uniform, the buttons that tried to contain her chest were straining even with a few in the middle undone and the skirt showing off bit of her thong with each stride..

"...Akeno-senpai? S-since when did you...?" Her return and playful manner flabbergasted Issei without fail. And even Rias gave the same impression as well, despite less surprised.

Dredgen was rendered speechless for a few seconds, caught off guard by the girls frisky act. Grayfia's stare at him was hurtful as it was judgmental.

"Well I only have three," he said in his defense. "They're messing around anyway."

"But I'm not though.~?" complained Raynare quietly as a pout rose to mar her face.

"Aw~ Dredgen-kun is no fun ufufufu~. And who ever said we were messing around? Right Oryou? Raynare?"

"Hai," the other two girls said in unison. Though Raynare was a bit more impish in delivery.

"Enough!" Rias had enough and stamped her foot on the ground stray magics leaking into the air. She was then silenced by the sound of flames of yellow and orange blazing into existence near the front of the room. "Now who is it?"Rias in a rather unladylike manner grumbled which earned a sharp glare from Grayfia causing the heiress to shirk under her gaze. In a bloom of flame, another devil appeared. She had hair similar to Rias falling down to her upper ankles. Her hair was ash-blonde with the front forelocks parting to the right partially covering her right eye. A lock of hair on the left side of her face was pulled back and braided down the full length of her hair held in place by a red ribbon near the bottom of the braid. She had only slightly tanned skin to Rias and Akeno being decently pale. She sported a figure that was comparable to Akeno and Rias having a smaller bust than Akeno and larger than Rias. Her clothing was worn to show off her curves. Black high heels gave that gave her height. Incredibly short jean shorts that her large rear spilled out of. It also showed quite brazenly that she wore a black thong, the strings being hiked up her wide hips. Her navel was exposed showing a flat stomach that was toned. She wore a yellow tank top that read Cookie Queen the black lettering stretched because of her chest. She wore pink glossy lipstick, painted across thick lips. Her gunmetal eyes were surrounded by mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow. Jewelry adorned her ears in the pearlescent diamond shaped earrings. She also had a necklace made of the same material with what looked like a phoenix tear container in the center. In her hands was what looked like a starbucks coffee that she was contently sipping.

"Fwahh~ Humans make just the greatest things sometimes. Rias-chan I'm here!" Her voice tittered out..

"Ah, Rize Phenex-sama, nice to see you once again. It has been awhile no?"

"Hello, Grayfia-Oneechan!" She bounded forward to give her a hug which the maid accepted. She had closed her eyes during the initial hug to open them to see the room was filled with more people than normal. Seeing that there were other occupants in the room she released her self from the grasp of the maid and did a low bow. "Nice to meet you! I am Rize Phenex, third in line as heir and eldest daugther of the Phenex bloodline." Her bow had caused her massive bosom to sway and slosh as she tipped over making it apparent of her slightly hardened nipples and that she had foregone any form of a bra.

The girls in the room all realized the passive seduction of the Devil in play and looked expectantly at the males in the room. Issei was drooling until socked in the stomach by Koneko. They all then changed their view to Dredgen an odd sound playing across the room. Those not already looking found that Dredgen was casually throwing one of his pearlescent knives into the air, it began to spin insanely fast by an unknown power reaching a specific height only to come spiraling back down at insane speeds. He would catch it with it hilt only to repeat the process once more. This went on for a few moments until he realized everyone was staring at him. As he caught it only Grayfia was able to spot the blade disappearing into shadowy vapor making it look like a magic trick. In reality, it was. Not giving them time to ask any question he stood up straightening his shirt and adjusting his sleeves. So Well? You wanted to ask questions? Go ahead.

* * *

The tea Akeno had made sat empty on the table having been drained. He idly thought of his soul cairn and the all to present rot of the Willbreaker remained in his mind glowing gray-blue translating to his iris. He stood in front of the window contemplating what was asked of him.

"... I... Don't understand..." Rias uttered. The fact that her tone had dropped a few octaves and lost its confidence did not please him the slightest bit. He didn't show it, however. "What power? What magic is that gives you your strength..?"

The grim look, the fear, and the frown that draped the Devils; Rias, Akeno, Koneko, and Yumi, made the man dread his decision.

Rias swallowed her saliva, and slowly directed her eyes to see the... Human standing in front of her. So ignorant, and unburdened. "...Dredgen... W-Who are you...?"

"A guy with power." He said, and it was not a false statement. "Not the normal magic, but I suppose you know that. I can summon things that don't exist in this realm from one of the other three realms."

"Then... What kind of magic...?"

"The kind of magic that meant for war I suppose. An Invoker is what I was once called. That was a long time ago, however." Dredgen replied as his shoulders hunched a weightless shrug. "There are a lot of things you Devils have yet to see, Rias. In the scheme things, all of the supernatural factions here are quite young. They never experienced the war. The Desolations."

She didn't know the reason why, but when his tone and voice deepened like that, and when his face became so solemn and apposite for his seemingly young age, Rias' heart skipped a beat. No. Not because she was falling for him, but because she was afraid of him.

This man, a human, clearly knew much more than her, and that disturbed her very. What if he knew their sole intention from the start? What if he knew their devilish ploy? And why did she feel she had seen this man before today? Before even moving to Japan. What if he was hiding something? Something... Very out of this world that was beyond her imagination?

What if... He was not human?

Rias came unto reality as his voice spoke calmly, though with a grim purpose. "You ever have any nightmares?" The haunting chill that spread through the room quieted and dimmed the sound. He sat in front of the window as the light dimmed outside and the mist began pooling out to caress the world in its cool embrace. " Ever seen a nightmare? Ever opened your eyes and realized the horror wasn't a dream? The terror wasn't gone? I've seen nightmares." He turned to them once more. His scars seemed more illuminescent in the darker hues of the evening. His eyes eerily were now a piercing pale emerald."Those beasts that we fought, do not seek them out, even knowledge of what they can do gives them strength. Not all of the sins of the universe were destroyed by The Maker. " Everyone in the room was caught off guard by the seriousness of what was being said. Dismally Yumi spoke out. "What, were they?" Dredgen turned to her his eyes blazing. "MY nightmares that I face every night when I close my eyes."

* * *

After leaving the Devils with enough information about himself to not actively attack him, he transported his girls home and then donned his mistcloak. As he was soaring through the mist by pushing against it with coins that he would flick out every now and then. The measured leaps conserved far more energy than typical spells for transport. Mainly because of the lack of needing to materialize where the Earth was at that instant. It also left no aural signature. This technique was common for War Wizards allowing to travel leagues without tiring. He saw his destination and the man he was to meet. As he made his final push it carried him up and then down as he had no new anchor. He fell just next to the figure without a sound.

The black haired man didn't even act surprised he just continued to sip his sake. He wore a traditional kimono that was black. He wore it loose it showing a fair bit of his sculpted chest. The older man had a beard of the same color of his hair, it being relatively long. They stood at similar heights though the younger man being taller.

"It has gotten worse." his voice like velvet draped over the ears of the other. Wine colored eyes turned and peered into his own silver. "Kokabiel has gone rogue. And the Chaos Brigade swelters in size. I fear another Desolation, one that will be our last."

Dredgen nodded. "I killed a Soul Knight today." Azazel's eyes widened dropping his sake only to be caught by a wispy strand of smoke. "Jesus, Dredgen how are you still walking? The Willbreaker should be playing havoc on your Soul Cairn."

Dredgen chuckled dryly as he reached for his smokes, Azazel grabbing his sake once more. With a ghastly burst of foul flame, he lit the white roll. He inhaled deeply the bluish smoke wafting out. Azazel looked on expectedly. "You know Azazel. I am so very tired." He glanced in his direction his eyes softly glowing blue. "I will be alone for this Desolation. Truly alone just like in Braize. They want her, you know. She is just a highschool girl at heart. No matter what she is, all she wanted was a family. If they get her, what I experienced in Braize will be light. They would rape her. Break her down until the beast within awakens once more. I can't bear the thought. I failed my last family." He took another drag. "I won't fail her too."

Azazel stood quietly watching one of his only friends still alive. When they first met during one of the desolations, back when he was still pure, I took him for a sad, broken man, and he was. And yet he still had some form of hope always seeking more knowledge always the first to die for the others. He never broke in Braize. Not till he was alone. He was Death on the battlefield and Wisdom to the huddled masses. But now, now he has broken. This stranger in front of his was cold. Distant. It sorrowed Azazel, not many survived even that great war. No, in all honesty, a part of everyone died in the Eternal Conflict. The other spoke once more. His cigarette crackling into shadow. "Azazel try and find out when the last fissure opens. Also, try and contact the other factions, This is something that I will do alone, but you all must be ready when I fall and am returned. I don't know how long I can stay in Braize." Dredgen glanced down at his throbbing ivory scars along his arms. His voice drifted out once more. "Azazel thank you." His eyes locked with his. " Thank you for being a friend to a broken man. And can you give them my regards? I can't face them yet." In a leap, the hooded man was gone the swirling mist quick to envelope where he once was. "Thank you, old friend. You managed to save more than you would like to think." He turned around and walked forward the ivory moon alighting the gray mists before setting stone slabs aglow. One was for his late wife. The two others for his other friends, Barqial and his wife Shuri. And one more for the first Lucifer to change the underworld and one of his truest friends even if he was a Devil. Tears dotted his eyes "Sirzechs, Shuri, Baraqiel, Dear. I am not sure how we are going to do it without you here. Dredgen has resolved himself to be killed once more. I just don't know what to do or how to stop him." He began to cry. "Dredgen sends his regards. He still feels like it's his fault for not stopping the Desolation." He poured sake over their graves. "Drink, we all will need it for soon it may all be gone."

* * *

A.N.

Hello everyone. Sorry about the rewrite, but I was relying to heavily on other writers and their styles and the story wasn't moving anywhere. As you may notice all of the realms have changed to reflect the great conflict. The cloak that Dredgen wears shamelessly ripped from Mistborn by the by so was the mists. Dagger based off of Destiny hunter knife just a tad larger. Taken based somewhat off of the Hive from Destiny. The Thorn or his handgun based off of Destiny Thorn.

Harem update:

Main: Akeno, Oryou, Raynare, Auriel, Mirana

Added: Rias, Grayfia, Venelana, and Rize Phenex

A few more unknown/undecided/unrevealed/hinted

P.S. Most likely will be capped out for now, but still, feel free to suggest.

By the by someone asked me if I smoke. I don't just part of Dredgen's character. Another note my dumbass uploaded the wrong file a while back, thus explaining why the disconnect in how the story played out. Anywho all is fixed and hopefully, the story makes more sense.

Please Review it means a lot to me as a writer. Critiques are great! They let me know what I am messing up on or am doing good. I genuinely take your guys feedback and use it. Even if you are just passing by and reading I appreciate your opinion.

Anyway thanks for being patient. I graduate soon but am pretty close with the next chapter so I will upload when I can. Also, I will update my other story most likely tomorrow as well.

Sad boi out.


	7. Authors Note

Im on my phone as i write this so bear with me.

Dredgen will essentialy for the time being have an unwanted harem. Let me explain why I am bringing this up.

Someone said that I am making Dredgen love all of them and since he is Death he should be impartial and uncaring. Death in my story is being forged throughout it. Tempered by loss and guilt while being alone. Only two people ever saw him as just a man. Auriel and Oryou. Huginn and Munnin are dead and died thinking him a monster. Auriel is lost. And at the moment he is still bearing with scars from his time in Braize. He only feels love for Oryou at the moment. Though it is similar to familial as they are dragons it is there none the less. The girls maybe falling for the dark brooding figure that he appears outwardly, but only Oryou at the moment knows of who he used to be and is attracted to him in both her primal dragon side and not being seen as a monster by Dedgen. I think I have hinted who she really is enough at this point. She was also the one saved in his flash back all those years ago. Also dealing with Akeno. He is best friends with Azazel and knew of the death of Shuri and Baraqial. Currently his dragon brand is trying to become stable since there is no soul for it be branded on. This explains why he has begun the bonding process with a few of the females.

Death is a mystery and an unkown even to the supernatural. The females are attracted to power exhumed by his dragon brand more than they are repulsed by his hollowness. Think of it like how Asia attracts dragons and calms them. Death's vessel so to speak is not only part dragon, but missing one of his three realms that being spiritual. With his soul missing this is where the name Dredgen Yor means Eternal Abyss. Death consumes all that is finality. And to be locked wihin his gaze is to never leave.

Raynare is a pervert and is going to be the female Issei. She will be the one that gathers a harem of lovers for her master/herself even if he does not care for it at the moment.

We think of deities and Death as uncaring and impartial, however I am trying to tell the story of why Death is that way. Tragedy has been had, Sirzechs lay dead and a new Desation the final one is arriving. More tradgedy will certainly be had.

Issei's harem: Koneko, Yumi, Xenovia, Asia, Irina, Gabriel.

As the story progresses Issei will become darker and more realistic. A protege of Death. Anyways that neither here nor there.

Some said I should give Rias back to Issei. Thoughts on this? I havent reached the point of no return yet.

Thanks once again for favorites, follows, and especially thank you for reviews. Hopefully I am writing Dredgen the way I am percieving him in my mind. And guests and members alike keep the reviews coming, I will try to answer any questions and sort out any misunderstandings.

Anywho here is a sneak peek at the next few chapters. May be subject to change by the time I release the chapters.

Only the three nigh ancient Archangels had the combat sense to erect a massive God class holy ward. Massive in structure and blindly with pure white Enochian text that swarmed as if of were alive and tainted mildly due to the fallen light.

"Brace yourselves!" Azazel yelled out. Not even giving enough time for anyone to ask why as suddenly the sound of a barrier that surrounded the entire battlefield shattered. Like the sound of screams and glass breaking. Only Azazel had enough combat experience to see everything. He watched as the spiraling streak of black and white about the size of a spear plowed through the massive barrier fueled by multiple devils, humans, and fallen. Through the hole in the wall of magic, the night sky began to burn a terrible gray-white. The spear, nay great arrow Azazel surmised, twisted space as it fell at immense velocity this was why it could penetrate the godlike barrier. The sound of a magic explosion and the roar of the magical fire engulfed the inside of the barrier at the school. Azazel saw the death that billowed over all present that could not erect a barrier in time. He saw what just one arrow fueled by the black-white fire that razed the environment and everything else around it to the ground.

All of the high-class beings that had not prepared began to pool their own strength into the barrier as the flames licked across the now multicolored barrier. After what felt like ages the flames receded leaving a desolate land with dark gray ash covering the ground. Large patches of fire still burned, where bodies that had more magical energy for the fire to use as tinder and consume were taking too long to turn to ash.

They waited within that swirling white and red Enochian and demonic ward looking upon all of the devastations. Through the towering lightning bolt like a crack in the broken outer barrier foul fog plumed inward covering the ground in the gray smoke. It swirled in a ghastly way covering those that lay still crackling in embers completely enshrouding the ground. The ghastly mist caused the black-white flames to take an even more ferocious and all-consuming appearance.

And then a figure seemingly drifted through that gap. The figure was swathed in a large hooded cloak. The cloak easily fell around his feet and was fashioned around his neck. The cloak was of grays and ribbons, but the ends tattered and blackened. Underneath the cloak, a similar colored long coat with tails that also reached near his feet was worn. Underneath black and silver, skin-tight body armor was donned. Black and silver combat pants and boots were worn for his lower half. Off of his shoulder hung a strap, that strap lead to a large quiver that fell around his waist. It peaked out from under the cloak. The arrows that rested within were large and imposing. They all looked like thorns, they were pitch-black with a few small edges coiling around the thin core, spiraling around it and somewhat curving outward. The sheer presence of the arrows was beyond absurd and rivaled that of the shards of Excalibur. The figure wielded a massive onyx bow. It is a matte black, western-style straight bow, with a simple design that had a guard on the front of the bow. The bow also exhumed a presence otherworldly to that of a normal weapon.

And then the figure spoke."They say. No blade for the Unraveler and the Weaver, But an arrow, wound with woe. For their foes, No end of suffering." The voice was undoubtedly a mans. It was deep and thrummed through the air in but a whisper, yet heard by all. It was cold and without much emotion. He then muttered something to himself and then spoke once more. It was an aria of sorts causing the ground to burst up blue gouts of spirit flame.

First comes destruction, for I am the bone of my sword

As it always had been, Steel is my body and fire is my blood

While the void always awaits, I always create over a thousand blades

I create nothing unknown to Death,

Nor forgive anything known to Life.

Have withstood pain to create many weapons, only to save nothing

Yet, those hands will never hold anything, for I just erase. Completely

So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works!

Blinding light flooded the view of all present on the school campus.


End file.
